Gravitation
by Neural Misfit
Summary: AUPostTFT. IllidanxOC. After Illidan is wounded by Arthas, Kael brings a druid to heal him when the priests fail, bringing two opposing souls into an astonishing collision that changes the fates of both players. Chp 1 Rewrite 4/22
1. Capture

**Gravitation**

**Arcadia-Sama**

**Summary**- Never mind. You'll see.

**Disclaimer**- Shayl is mine. MINE. Comprende? She belongs to me. Everything else is marked as belonging to Blizzard, bottom line.

**Suggested BGM** – _"Destiny"- __**Stratovarius**_

_Author Notes_ – FINALLY. I've been working on this rewrite for chapter one for quite some time because the more I looked at the initial chapter, the more I just grew disgusted with how poorly it was written. I'm planning to rewrite chapters two through five as well, or at least go in and polish them up so they're on par with the later chapters. But here's the rewrite of chapter one. Enjoy. I do hope you appreciate this hard work. ;) And for those of you whom are my loyal readers, don't worry. Chapter 15 will be out as soon as I'm done trying to manage Illidan's insanity. Oooo, I just gave y'all a teaser of a hint. )

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The hiss of sea water washed over the wooden hull of the boat that cut through the ocean, the snapping of canvas and ropes punching through the mostly silent journey. Cold water caught by eddies of wind was stirred into whitecaps, fine foam being lifted upwards to settle across the skin of one of the boat's passengers, making her shiver as she curled her hands about the railing. What a strange figure the tall woman cut when one saw the red and gold clad figures of sin'dorei about her on the deck while she herself wore skin of pale lavender and long green locks of hair. Now, any observer, if they had seen the sight, perhaps could have been confused. After all, the kaldorei and sin'dorei did not get along. It was obvious, however, that the kaldorei was a prisoner. No chains decorated her body, nor were there any sin'dorei so close to her as to be called guards, yet it was perhaps the way that she stood alone at the bow of the ship, long hair fluttering about her body for it was unbound and left free to do as it pleased.

Behind her came the thud of steel-clad feet against the deck as more then one blood elf moved, helping with the silence that came with this trip and the night elf shivered, drawing the thick fur that wrapped her body even more about herself as her eyes closed. To most, it appeared as if she were being thoughtful but there was something a bit different about the night elf. Apart from the fact that she was awake during the day, but one only had to look to the leaves twined through her hair and about her neck to understand what part of that difference was. After all, the druids of the kaldorei had slowly come to understand that it was the sunlight that empowered them. Even the light of the moon did not affect them as it once had.

There were no movements from her but a prickle ran up and down the back of the kaldorei woman as she turned her head, hearing a different tread approaching her. How easy it was for her to notice these footsteps for they always seemed to grow lighter when the owner of that sound approached her. Then again, with his manners and educated style of speaking, she knew that it was simply his way of showing a bit of manners towards her. The wind picked up as it whipped at her hair and exposed skin and while she felt the cold, the druid refused to budge from her current spot as her fingers tightened upon the wooden railing of the ship, unable to imagine the view before her of slate gray clouds scurrying through the sky overhead, the water being a cold blue-gray shade while foaming whitecaps were splashing across the landscape of the ocean. Through the deep troughs between the waves, one could see the shimmering of sea-green and orange and blue scales as the naga that served with the sin'dorei plunged through the cold arctic waters.

"We're almost there, Shayl Hawkeye," said the leader of the small expedition that manned the boat.

The man's voice was smooth in a fluid fashion, almost warm, almost kind, but entirely neutral towards her in the end. The inflections that accented his syllables were characteristic of his people whom had become much more melodious then the kaldorei had, and Shayl's head turned in his direction at last as golden eyes landed upon the one who had led those whom had kidnapped her away from her home without any given justification until after they had been well on their way. And though she could not see him, Shayl was wholly aware that she was being looked at it in return by the young princeling of Quel'Thalas.

It had been such a simple thing, she mused in thought now as she fought to find a way to answer his words, to take her. Shayl had long ago made her home in the woods she had been taken from, saving travelers that passed through on journeys, mending the forest with her own meager skills, caring for the wildlife that dwelt within. The young druid had been running low on some herb or another that she could not recall at the moment without its smell there to ground her knowledge and had never experienced trouble before in her woods. There had been a hiss of sound before there was a presence and a net landing upon her body as she was trussed up neatly as a Winter Vale present. She had tried to escape, at first, and repeatedly, but had given up after she had not only been drained of all her magic but partially beaten by one of the Myrmidons before Kael had stopped him. Sighing, Shayl finally murmured something noncommittal to the air; however, unlike before, Kael did not withdraw his presence this time around.

Yet, Shayl could not help but be mildly impressed with the prince. While he was not any warm fuzzy bosom-buddy by any means, he had treated her with polite, if cold respect and had seen that she had been equipped with proper clothing rather then her favored dress of a tunic and little else. It had been strange, pulling on stiff leather clothing and wrapping herself in a fur-lined and edged cloak, but Shayl had understood and heeded him when he said that they were going to a place where it was cold. But the true shock had come when Kael had taken her aside some time after she had been captured to explain the reason why they had captured her.

The reason for Shayl's abduction had come not from any whimsical or sinister means but for something else. She had been taken because their leader was ill and most likely dying. The priests had tried everything that they could think of, he had said, but they were unsuccessful in their endeavors to heal their leader. When she had asked whom this leader was, there had been a poignant, stark pause before Kael had answered. The leader of his people was not himself, as she had almost presumed, but the one known as Illidan Stormrage; the Betrayer. Shayl had felt almost as if the world had dropped out from underneath her feet with that revelation and she had been glad that she was sitting down at the time.

Broken from her thoughts by the sound of a naga's voice, Shayl's long ears nearly quivered at the thought, the sounds of landfall being imminent. Had that much time passed already? But then, she had no way to tell time. The cold here was constant with no change as far as she could tell, though her hands lifted to the collar of the cloak, turning it up higher as she pulled on the gloves she had been provided. The crunching scrape of wood over sand, or at least what she presumed to be sand, sounded like a dragon's roar in the still wind. As she was led down the gangplank, one of her hands resting upon the muscular arm of a spell-breaker, Shayl was aware of the lack of life or warmth in this dismal place.

They had no time to spare with walking and so it was that hawkstrider mounts had been brought along. Shayl had spent her time in the berth getting acquainted with them and she moved to her favorite one, stroking the deadly beak and soft, glossy feathers on his neck as she whispered to him. The large bird tilted his head before he bent down and Shayl scrambled clumsily onto his back, though the strider waited patiently for her to settle into his saddle. She was going to be guided, she knew, and Shayl didn't bother taking the reins. Yet it was an exhilarating experience as the hawkstriders began to run, their long legs carrying them over the rocky, snowy terrain of Northrend. More then once, Shayl could have sworn they were being watched, being followed and she was aware of those in the expedition changing, but always she was kept in the center. Four days of hard riding finally led them, however, to the encampment that had been built up while the priests tried to heal Illidan of whatever wound had caused them to go in search of a druid of their distant cousins.

In mere moments after she had slid off the back of the hawkstrider, the leader of the priests was marching over and she heard her speaking to Kael in the mellifluous tongue of the blood elves, almost as if she were angry. Perhaps she was from Kael having taken so long, Shayl wondered, before she was being approached by the woman. She smelled of holiness and incense and other scents that Shayl couldn't identify. There was a curt command in the tongue of their people. _Likely doesn't know Common, _Shayl thought, _or she doesn't care at all. _There was a sense of air difference as Shayl entered a tent, ducking her head after whacking it against the supports and rubbing her forehead now, and the first thing that she noticed was the air smelled foul. But she followed the healer until she stopped and Shayl felt a large presence upon the ground that simply demanded attention. Slowly, her hands extended to feel for anything that would be in the way, she carefully knelt down, her knees coming into contact with thick furs that had likely been layered many times over if she couldn't feel the cold of the permafrost in the ground through them. Removing her gloves at last, Shayl's hands reached out again and finally came into contact with bare skin.

Almost instantly, Shayl nearly recoiled from the touch on that body. But, swallowing hard, she forced her hands to move and study what she could not see with her eyes. And, despite the severity of the situation, the young druid could not help but notice her patient more intently for perhaps the first time. Strong muscles were obvious beneath her skin and the druid guessed that she had found his shoulder or arm at first. Long fingers slowly crept over his body and she felt a strong pulse fluttering beneath her fingers. So his shoulder had been what she encountered; lightly, her fingers skimmed over his face, feeling features that were twisted in pain and damp with sweat. But had they not been so warped, Shayl could have said that this man was handsome, despite knowledge of what he had done ten thousand years ago. Her hand moved upwards now to run over his forehead and she almost jumped at the sensation of growths beneath her fingers. A brief, inquisitive touch revealed that it was a set of horns.

Filing that information away, Shayl let her hands run over Illidan's facial features once more before her hands began to move down to his chest once again. Strong muscles, hard muscles, met her palms and then her fingers as she bent her head downwards in thought. Then Shayl's hand brushed up against the wound and she let out a ragged gasp as she ripped her hands away from his body, staring in horror, at least as much as a blind woman could stare, at Illidan's body. There was something about that wound that was not right and she had the strangest sense that it was almost like a crack in a container that something was slowly leaking out of. Her fingers slowly returned to rest on either side of the wound though she took obvious care not to touch it and her senses reached out beyond the physical world to the spiritual. There. A simple murmur as Shayl's spiritual self tied off the wound and she closed her eyes before they jerked open with a sudden reaction below her hands.

There had been a fever in this halfbreed sorcerer, a fever that had shown itself through the clammyness of his skin and the tense pain in his body. But someway, somehow, she had caused it to turn inwards on Illidan with a renewed sense of fury. Even as her mouth came open to ask for herbs and hot water wipes and other medicines, a sudden roar erupted in the air as her patient jerked upwards. Reacting instinctively, Shayl threw herself forward to hold him down, shouting for help. More hands joined in as Shayl's blind eyes closed. It was a gesture made reflex over many years and while it made no difference physically, it helped with her mentality. Her fingers dug into the muscles underneath her hands as she held down the thrashing man. Even as she did this, Shayl found herself speaking as calmly as she could, requesting the medicinal supplies.

Ignoring the chaos around her as shouting happened, bustling activity marking the fleeing of someone to get medicinal herbs for the druid who couldn't heal without them, her mind turned towards the man whom she was holding down. He was large; immense, perhaps, would have been a better term. Shayl was tall for a night elf woman, though still ultimately shorter then the men. But this man, the Betrayer, her patient made her feel absolutely small. It was a new sensation for she was larger then most humans or orcs who passed her way. She had treated a troll once and had been repaid by his hunting down a meal for her. The druid had long ago made an oath to Elune that she would treat anyone whom was presented to her as a patient and she would hold to that oath even now.

Pungent aromas met her nose moments later and Shayl was quickly taking the bowl of hot water and cloths and herbs from the elf who provided them. All eyes on the tent were on her; Kael watched with open interest as the night elf lifted bundle of herbs after herbs up to her nose. He watched as she arranged them in a pattern he assumed she favored due to her disability and stared as she began to shred the herbs in an order that seemed random to him, dried green flora fluttering down to soak up water in the bowl. A request for something to stir the now aromatic water gave her a knife and there was a quick swirl of the knife in the water three times counter-clockwise, four times clockwise, then two more times counter-clockwise. Returning the knife to its owner, Shayl dipped a cloth into the hot water and wrung it out once it had been soaked before she laid it over the deep gash on Illidan's chest. Repeating this gesture, she covered up the entirety of the wound and then her head lifted at last as Shayl spoke up at last.

"I do not know how long it'll be until his fever breaks," she said in weary tones, "but I can promise you that it will. This wound, though, it worries me. The Be.." Shayl stopped. Paused. Swallowed hard. ".. Illidan is a strong man. He will recover, of that I'm certain. Now, if I may.. The hut needs to be aired out and possibly cleaned up. Just a suggestion."

Silence met her words before she heard Kael speaking and activity began to move around her. But Shayl didn't move from her spot by Illidan's side. Again and again, she soaked the strips of cloth and laid them over the wound, her hands seeming to find some excuse to stray over his body. Something about him left her wishing to touch him more and more. Food was brought to her which she ate without tasting, some sort of soup and bread combination with milk and she remained by his side still. But weariness from the forced journey overtook her at last. Quietly, the druid dragged a furred blanket over herself as she curled up near Illidan and fell asleep. Yet, if one looked hard enough, they'd find the fingers of one of her hands gently resting against his own hand as she sank into an exhausted slumber.


	2. Awakening

**Gravitation**  
By Arcadia-Sama  
Summary- Never mind. You'll see.  
Disclaimer- Only Shayl is copyright me. I own nothing about WarCraft.. though I do wish I did own Arthas and Illidan. x3 Anyways! On with the story!

Runemeister- Thank you very much for the first review! This story is indeed going to be very interesting, I hope.

crash and burn - The dialogue is being worked on.

Scorpionette- I have read your WoW story! And it is quite good! I've been enjoying it! Keep up your own good work, hun:)

Kiwifluff- Eat up. XD

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It was pain that awoke the hybrid night elf. Pain and something else. A gentler, fresher scent that was strange, one that had him relaxing onto a pallet of thick furs upon the ground. Hearing humming, the demon hunter turned his head, peering at the source of the sound and his jaw dropped slightly before a loud hiss of anger echoed through the hut. 

Even as he saw the figure jerk, one of Illidan's hands lashed out, grabbed the wrist of the kaldorei and he jerked her to him, which resulted in one slender hand pressing to his chest, long hair falling about his face slightly, scented with earthy scents and the woman's own sweet smell. Her wrist was slender in Illidan's grasp, a mere slender twig compared to his own thick arm and he growled up at her before speaking.

"Who are you and what are you doing there?"

The woman stared down at him calmly, or at least, she seemed to, before her free hand came up and slowly stroked over his face, feeling it slowly with the touch of only one who was blind would use. Then, her hand touched his face and he tilted his head to the side, before a soothing, gentle voice came to his ears.

"My name is Shayl, sir, and I would appreciate it if you'd let me go."

Illidan's eyebrows furrowed over the dark cloth that wrapped about his face, shielding the shattered sockets of his eyes from view. Then, his other hand came up to wrap about the back of her neck, a single, thick thumb of a finger pressing ever so lightly into her throat over her windpipe, his voice coming softly in a low, threatening manner.

"You still haven't answered me as to why you are here, girl.. Tell me.. or else you'll find breathing is rather hard with a crushed throat."

Shayl fought to control her breathing, refusing to show any fear to this.. this.. bastard who held her captive by his touch. Oh, yes, she certainly wasn't going to risk having her throat caved in, but his attitude simply rubbed the wrong way at her. Very slowly, the druidess swallowed, her blind eyes opening and closing out of reflex as she shifted, trying to get more comfortable before she spoke at last, voice calm and cool in the manner of a professional healer, detatched from her patient and viewing him with only clinical interest.

"I was brought here by lord Kael'thas in order to heal you, lord Illidan. Now, if you would please release me, I could continue with that process."

The blind half-demon glared up at her, his lips pulled back from his teeth. Beneath the dark cloth that wrapped about his head, those empty sockets glowed with a smokey yellow light. He could see her.. and he could see the powerful pulsing of magic in her body. Not since his brother had he seen someone so strongly connected to the earth. And if she was trained, perhaps she would one day outstrip even Malfurion. Yet, this woman only tapped the surface of her power. Either she was unaware of it or she was simply keeping it in check. And with how.. "healed" he felt, Illidan severly suspected the former. But he'd be damned if he helped this little.. druidess out. Finally, nearly shoving her away as he released her wrist, the man snarled out his answer.

"Very well then! Do what you must and leave me be! Send me Kael!" came his commands.

Shayl's lips tightened. Could the man possibly sound any more imperious? Grinding her teeth, she turned her head until her blind eyes stared down at the slowly healing gash along his chest. The sickly-sweet aroma of decay drifted to her nostrils and the druidess fought the urge to snort in an effort to drive the odor out. But slowly, Shayl laid her hands over the wound that she had stitched shut in an effort to help spead the healing. It had helped.. somewhat. Her useless eyes closing, the woman opened herself to the wound, senses extending until she could feel it, as well as the darkness that still dwelt within it.

Illidan's eyes widened, or they made a simile of widening before he let out a hoarse yell as pain shuddered through his body. He could **feel **the flesh starting to knit back together. By Elune, that was painful! His back arched, hands curling tightly into claw-like shapes and he howled again in pain until finally, it stopped. Unknown to Shayl, he had seen the green glow that had spread along her forearms to nearly her elbows.

"By the goddess, woman! Are you trying to heal me or kill me with your bumbling technique!" Illidan finally roared at the druidess as he recovered his breath, glaring at Shayl's delicate, strong features.

The female kaldorei was silent for so long that Illidan began to think that she must have gone mute. Had he scared her? A pleasant thought he indulged himself in, savoring the idea. But a small feeling tickled his mind. He would be hard-pressed to intimidate this woman. And, when a sudden, sweet smile spread across her face, Illidan nearly threw himself off the furs to escape her for that smile meant nothing but trouble for him.

"My lord is still in pain? Then my lord must rest and get better otherwise my lord will find he hasn't the strength to do anything at all. Indeed, my lord must tell his healer when he is hurting so she can help him to feel better and my lord must also listen to what his healer says for she knows what he should and shouldn't do!"

The entire time that she spoke, Shayl's fingers had slowly, but steadily, curled into the wound. Illidan hissed and then he swatted at her, knocking her away from him. With a snarl, the half-demon man started to sit up, his blindfolded gaze locked angrily onto Shayl's figure as she sat up, her own face twisting angrily as her mouth opened.. and then her teeth clicked loudly as she snapped it shut. Illidan demanded for Kael again and he almost burst into laughter at the scalding look the woman gave him before Shayl rose to her feet and stalked to the entrance of the hut, yanking the fur there out of her way and almost tearing it down and off of the branch it hung from.

"Kael'thas! He's awake and he wants to see you, now!" came Shayl's yell, loud enough to make the ears of every naga and blood elf in the camp ring. Let the warnings they gave her about enemies be damned! She didn't care. After allowing the prince into the hut, Shayl proceeded to stomp about the campsite, glaring darkly at everyone and everything that offended her. Kael finally came to get her to take her back to the the hut where Shayl lived and slept, a result of her needing to be at Illidan's side in case he had a relapse. Quietly, the kaldorei settled down nearby, wondering exactly what Illidan and Kael had talked about.

Illidan lay on the pallet of furs, his mind whirling with what his lieutenant had told him about this female druid of a night elf. A blind night elf? Living alone? Well, he supposed that he could thank Elune for that. Thank her for the fact that Furion would not be hunting down this little lost lamb any time soon. A dark frown crossed over the lupine features as he kept his blind, magical gaze on her, his mind churning with wonderings on what he was going to do. Where his priests had failed, Kael said, this woman had succeeded in healing him. This woman who had no idea of the strength she possessed.

Even as the prone hybrid of a now night elf and demon looked the woman over, he could see the magic that throbbed through her body so easily. Kael had admitted that he'd been more then a little tempted to simply drain the female and leave her body for the wilds.. but he'd never touched her, knowing that it would have been almost impossible to find another druid so easily. Indeed, Illidan was half tempted to feed upon her himself for he had never seen any kaldorei, not even his brother, so strong with the magics of the earth. It was as if Azeroth had blessed this woman-child with such powers intentionally. But, what truly baffled Illidan, was the woman used so little of her power. There was certainly more then enough within her to heal Illidan, but it was like the girl herself didn't know of the power. Perhaps.. perhaps there was a block preventing Shayl from knowing of that power. It was always possible. Laying back on the furs, Illidan blocked out his sight, a technique he had learned long ago for sake of his sanity, what little of that remained, and began to sleep. Or at least he tried.. Until one sensitive ear caught the sound of distinctive rustling and a soft splash.

Shayl, on the other hand, remained awake. A murmur of thanks was given to the blood elf sorceress that brought her food. The druidess finished her meal and when she was done, the gentle druidess spoke to the female quel'dorei that returned to collect the dishes, requesting some supplies to clean herself off with. Soon, the elf, named Kaythlyn, returned with a bowl of steaming water, putting a bar of herbal soap down, along with a rough cloth. Thanking her, Shayl then dismissed the young woman, telling her that she'd put the supplies outside once she was finished with them and then, tying the fur door shut, Shayl proceeded to strip down and wash herself thoroughly and quickly.

Just as she was pulling on her new and fresh tunic, the strong scent of herbs rising from it, Shayl paused and slowly, her head would turn in Illidan's direction silently. Even though she could not see, Shayl was quite sensitive to the looks and feelings of others around herself and while she could not observe him with her own eyes, the woman could have sworn that Illidan was watching her. Yet, that was impossible, right? He was supposed to be blind, after all. However, Shayl couldn't shake off the feeling that Illidan was watching her. Even so, she would resume pulling on clothes, preparing for sleep. As a covering nightshirt, she wore a long, thin, yet quite warm dress made of elk skin. Moving to the pallet of furs that was her bed, close to Illidan's in case he needed anything during the night, the night elf would slip beneath the bearskin blanket and tug it up to her chin. Closing her eyes out of reflex, the girl started to fall asleep, not knowing that the sound of her breathing was a subtle, effective form of torture for the other occupant of the hut.

Illidan had been trying to sleep. At least until the scent of the soap and water had reached his nose. Then, allowing his vision to return, he had turned his head in time to see the kaldorei stripping. One eyebrow went up as he would survey her figure before just remaining silent as she bathed herself, watching the cloth move over her body. Okay, perhaps she was slightly attractive. Almost regretting the loss of the sight of her body as the woman pulled on the covering. But the sound of her breathing, the way she slept.. It was a slow, irritating form of torture for the blinded man. With a snarl, Illidan would turn his head away, forcing himself to sleep. And thus, another night passed.

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	3. Revelations

**Gravitation**  
By Arcadia-Sama  
Summary- Never mind. You'll see.  
Disclaimer- Only Shayl is copyright me. I own nothing about WarCraft.. though I do wish I did own Arthas and Illidan. 3 Anyways! On with the story!  
And thank you, guys, for the reviews!

BahamutEpyon – See? I'm continuing!

Trevor hall – Shayl is blind for a reason. Of course, that won't be revealed until about halfway through the story.

FLECHER - - See? The torture continues! I am ebil. I DO CLIFFHANGERS! Mwahahahahaha- gets bonked on the head by Illidan

4DarkOmen4 – Thank you very much for the praise. bows

sphinx - Here ya go.

Lorok - As promised, here's where things get cleared up. :3

On with the story! And be forewarned, detailed male nudity described in this here chapter. XP Nothing happens. You don't like, don't read.

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A week after Illidan had broken his fever, a very loud shouting match suddenly erupted in the dwelling. Two voices were raised, two very distinctive voices, one male, the other female. And both owners of each voice were far too stubborn to lower their voice. Of course, when the naga and Quel'Dorei heard the subject of the yelling match, more then one eyebrow or eye ridge was raised in amusement. Even Kael moved closer to the hut, lips twitching in amusement as he listened to the pair inside the hut, shaking his head slightly.

"It WILL happen, whether you say no or not!" came Shayl's yell of sound.

"No, it won't! I should kill you for even suggesting such a thing, you impudent wench of a woman!" roared Illidan.

What _were _they arguing about? Well.. It started that morning. Like many kaldorei who followed the druidic ways, Shayl rose with the sun. Of course, she knew that the sunlight here had a foul, dark tinge to it, thanks to the clouds which constantly hovered over Northrend, now blackened even more by the corruption of the land which they had once sheltered.

Stepping outside, the kaldorei lifted her hands upwards in a stretch of motion that had a few male eyes passing over her figure. The male quel'dorei, racial hatred or not, could admit that the kaldorei was passably attractive, for a night elf female. Shayl never once had slandered them for their choice. Instead, there seemed to be an infinite amount of compassion to this woman. While she didn't say anything, they did suspect her of keeping such slander to herself. Either way, it still didn't change the fact that they looked.

Heading towards the cook fires, the kaldorei got herself a small helping of food. After finishing it, and dealing with her daily interrogation by Kael, the female headed back towards the tent. As she entered, the woman's nose wrinkled at the rank smell that permeated the air, the smell of sickness as well as an unwashed body. Now that she thought about it, she had been here for two weeks before Illidan's fever had broken. And in all that time, he had not been bathed once, Shayl having been too busy worrying about him dying on her to think of such matters. Oh, yes, she had bathed his wound, but that was about it.

Finally, having come to a decision about it, the young kaldorei moved to the walls of the hut and started to roll the furs up, allowing a crisp, cold breeze from the south to blow through the tent, helping to clear out some of the sickness smell. Clad as she was in the warm furs, Shayl didn't pay much mind to the temperature of the wind. Indeed, it was a clean smelling wind, not carrying the horrid stench of decay that she had come to associate with Northrend and the icy lands that were under the control of the Scourge. Then, once she'd rolled up about four of the furs, the druidess stood and dusted her hands off on her thighs. Her head turned quickly, however, hearing a low groan from the prostrate man in the center of the hut and then Shayl went to kneel beside Illidan, looking down at him with those blind eyes as her lips would purse.

"You are awake, I see," came Shayl's voice, gentle and soft to Illidan's ears as he felt a cold, gentle breeze caressing over his features.

"Yes.. Tell me, girl. What are you up to?" came the rough baritone of Illidan's voice as he reached up, grabbing her by the shoulder and yanking her down until threads of dark emerald draped over his face, the tips and roots a brilliant spring green in coloration. While she might not overly display herself as a druid, the hair gave it away.

A sigh before the woman spoke again, her voice quiet and even slightly annoyed. Professional healer she might be, but her current patient was quite, in a word, infuriating. Even the most patient of people would be hard-pressed to remain such with Illidan's caustic attitude, cynical ways and sarcastic-filled words.

"I am airing out the hut, my lord. It smells, quite frankly, of sweat and sickness. I cannot keep working in such an environment. So, I am airing out the hut. And, while I am at it, I am going to give you a bath."

Illidan went very still and quiet before speaking, voice full of menacing suspicion as those dark night-blue brows of his drew together above the blindfold he wore, his features twisting into a scowl. "And how, exactly, do you plan to give me a bath?"

A chuckle filled his ears before Shayl spoke, voice brimming with quiet, gentle amusement. "Simple. I will wipe you down."

And that was how the shouting match started. Illidan, at first, after first slapping her quite harshly and throwing her out of the hut, refused to let her touch him with soap and water. Shayl, her cheek a swollen mass colored an ugly bluish-black, retaliated with dire threats of gangrene and fever and him losing his life. Eventually, after both Kael and Vashj had been summoned, the shouting match came to an end and the healer and her patient waited for the quel'dorei and the naga to come to a decision that would either say yes or no on their leader getting a bath. The druid had been made to leave the tent, allowing her to pace back and forth slowly. Her ears, so much keener then one would think, thanks to her blindness, picked up the low voices. And then, finally, she heard a growling snarl of acquiescence.

Shayl, biting back a smile, would stand slowly before finding one of the quel'dorei and speaking to her. After being assured that what she wanted would be provided, the woman returned to the hut and finally started to lower the walls to ensure that there would be privacy. A very dim lantern was kept in the hut for the sake of Vashj and Kael. After all, Illidan had a very twisted form of site and Shayl had no use for light at all. She did everything by touch and smells alone.

Looking up when the large container of hot water was brought in, along with a rough cloth and a thick block of soap, the druidess thanked the woman before turning to her charge. With Kael's help, she hung the pot over a fire pit to ensure that the water would be kept warm before shooing him. Hearing indignant mutterings from the quel'dorei prince, the druidess would simply smile and shake her head before turning to Illidan, studying him before kneeling. Finally, she dipped the cloth into the water before lathering it up fully with the soap. Then, her hand would come up to his face, stroking it along his cheek.

Silence reigned in the hut, a thick silence that was stretching out further and further until it threatened to snap. The cloth finally moved down and stroked over Illidan's chest, removing the stench that had accumulated over the past several weeks on his skin. The half-demon laid still and silent underneath Shayl's hand, and indeed, he was so still that she thought he had fallen asleep. When he spoke, suddenly, the girl jumped like a startled rabbit, her pulse fluttering wildly.

"Tell me, girl. What was a young kaldorei druidess doing on her own in such a remote area, away from the rest of the Kalimdor homeland?"

Shayl's hand paused and she looked down at him, her eyes, those unseeing pools of amber gold, the same gold that his eyes had once been colored as, watering with tears. She didn't know how to answer at first and so, silence remained in the hut. But Illidan remained silent and watching, staring up at this odd woman of a kaldorei female. Finally, wetting her lips, Shayl began to speak in reply.

"I.. I came to live there.. because I was.. shunned, more or less, out of kaldorei society. I have been alone there for several centuries, my lord. I'm not that young.. But, when I left kaldorei society, I was very young indeed, no more then twenty-one or twenty-two. I had never been very openly accepted, partially because of my eyes and partially because I was blind, despite having such eyes. My mother died soon after giving birth to me and my father rarely interacted with me. I grew up outside of society, never truly part of it. And when it became obvious that I had druidic talents.. I was.. harassed. So, finally, I simply left, more or less to save them the trouble of telling me to leave. I wandered for many long years before finally reaching what is now my home. And I have been there since then."

Illidan goggled silently at her, even as he wondered at his own superbly good fortune. He knew, then and there, that this girl, this powerful, bewitching young thing, would never belong to his brother, must never allow herself to be influenced by Malfurion. Not only was she completely ignorant of the hatred that most, if not almost every kaldorei grew up with learning to feel about him, she had also been able to begin healing him where his priests had not been able to. This girl was truly a gift from Elune. He would have to woo her gently, carefully. Even if she hadn't been brought up by his people, she would still have been warned about him by his, and now hers, former people.

"I see.. They were fools to drive you out instead of embracing your talents. Have no fear, girl. We are all rejected misfits here."

The bitterness in his voice wasn't feigned and he felt a sympathetic touch to one firmly sculpted cheekbone before the cloth that had been so still on his chest started to move again. It took a while for Shayl to get all of Illidan's upper body for he was a big man, having grown even larger and taller then he had originally been thanks to the Skull of Gul'dan. Pausing long enough to press her fists to her back lightly, Illidan watched as her spine arched before her hands came out from behind that slender torso and went to the fur that draped over his lean hips. Lightly, without another thought to modesty, it was flipped away. Illidan was briefly shocked and then he jumped, quite noticeably, when he felt the warm, wet cloth moving along his hips. Gritting his teeth as he heard a laugh, the large man decided not to show any more of a reaction to this then that.

Shayl just continued to wash him with the soapy cloth, her fingers exploring his body with butterfly touches, simply to allow her to see where she was at. His skin was smooth and near hairless, fine strands of hair covering his forearms and calves lightly. Otherwise, the druidess found no hair on his powerfully muscled figure. Then, as she drew the cloth along his hips, her fingertips encountered a fringe of crisp hairs which she froze upon feeling, the girl's face growing hot. And, when she started to move her hand away, Illidan spoke, voice full of a vicious amusement.

"You are washing me, aren't you? Then you should know that you're supposed to get every single bit of me clean, girl."

Her back going rigid, the girl pressed her lips together and then, gathering her courage, allowed the cloth to drift over the nest of hair. His flaccid member was heavy in her hand, even as she washed it, stroking the cloth lightly over the even heavier sac beneath. Finally, having cleaned them, Shayl got her hands away as fast as she could, feeling, if not hearing, Illidan's silent laughter. At last, after washing all of his legs, and such long, powerful legs they were, the girl sat up, rubbing her aching back and covered Illidan with a fur again. The last thing she did was change the dressing on his wound, after using that odd technique of course.

Feeling quite satisfied about the cursing that Illidan laved upon her head about her being clumsy-handed and whatnot, the girl simply moved to the other side of the hut. There, she removed her clothing and bathed, knowing that long hours had passed while she had been at work bathing this man whom she was to, eventually, call her master. Again, feeling as if she were being watched, despite Shayl knowing that he couldn't, the druid got dressed quickly. At last, smoothing down her tunic across her thighs, the female glanced towards Illidan's position in the hut before cleaning out the supplies she had used, returning the pot and soap to the one who'd loaned them to her. Then, returning to the hut, the woman laid down, pulling a fur up and across her body, eyes closing.

She could still feel him in her hands.. Firmly shutting that train of thought off, the druidess lulled herself to sleep, a light sleep. The sleep of the innocent, the children, the animals. And all the while, she was being watched by a pair of smoky eyes, glowing gold behind a cloth of black coloration, wrapped about Illidan's head.

* * *


	4. Memories

**Gravitation  
By Arcadia-Sama  
Summary**- Never mind. You'll see.  
**Disclaimer**- Only Shayl is copyright me. I own nothing about WarCraft.. though I do wish I did own Arthas and Illidan. >3 Anyways! On with the story!  
**Suggested BGM** – _"Eden" –_ **_Sarah Brightman_**

And thank you guys, for the reviews!

**Lorok** – Yes, she washed his hair and wings too. XD And as to why she wakes up in the morning, it's explained in chapter three. She wakes up then because it is the habit she imposes upon herself. As for why Illidan put up with her yelling at him.. Well, Shayl's the only person who's actually been able to do anything about his wound. That's why he permits it. For the most part.

**SemiSane** - bows Thank you very much indeed. I hope you enjoy this chapter as well.

**Zephyrsky** – What's a good story without some lemonade and limeade? You'll see.

**BahamutEpyon** – Heh. Well, here's another chapter to read.

**FLECHER - **- XD No, she didn't forget he was male. But to her, he's simply a patient and his being male _shouldn't _have a bearing on how she treats him. You'll find out as to why she reacts in the way she does in this chapter.

**Flamescythe** – Heh. It's going to be hinted at greatly in this chapter as to why she's blind. :D

**trevor** – Updated, as you can see. :)

Oh, one other thing. Words like _this _are in Darnassian and words like **this**are in the language of Sindassi. The language of the Quel'Dorei. And then stuff like **_– this –_** is memories. We all clear? Good. :3

* * *

The relapse occurred about midnight.

Shayl, having fallen asleep after strange thoughts of Illidan, secret thoughts that she hardly dared to breathe to herself, thoughts of admiring his body, was woken up by a pain-filled scream. The agonizing roar was not of physical pain, but of remembered emotional hurt. It was the cry of one who has lost everything that he has held dear, every little detail that is important to one singular person that makes up their life, the details that others find insignificant, stripped away. It was a scream of pain that came straight from the soul to the heart and from the heart out to the mouth where it was expelled in a screaming yell of pain.

Jerking upright from beneath the fur of bearskin that lay over her, the blind woman glanced from side to side before hearing the hoarse bellowing again. And this time, there were words laced in the yelling, words in Darnassian, words that made Shayl's heart contract painfully as she listened to them.

How long had it been since she'd heard the beautiful, almost mournful language of the kaldorei? How long, since the girl had spoken it? Far too long indeed for tears came to the blind eyes, tracking silently down the smooth, unblemished cheeks that were simply pure lavender with nothing marring their beauty. Shayl had foregone the tattoos that adorned the faces of so many kaldorei, simply because no one had bothered to help her pick something. So, she was unnaturally bland, at least, in the terms of night elf beauty, so it had always seemed to her.

_"She should have been mine, brother! I loved her first! I did everything for her! You did nothing! You were the one that bumbled into her heart! Tyrande, I was the one who loved you! Why! Why not me! I was just as good! I did it all for you, you foolish woman! Should have been mine.. been mine.."_

The words were snarled in pain, tearfully filled pain, pain that ebbed and flowed from wounds that had not closed, wounds that could close, perhaps, if someone was willing to help them shut. Shayl moved over to Illidan, knowing the camp was likely up in arms over the yelling that had come from their master and lightly, gently, she brushed her fingers over Illidan's cheek, peering down at him with blank, unseeing pools of golden sheen.

At the touch, the man calmed, if only slightly and Shayl breathed out a sigh before she felt Kael coming into the tent. Shayl held a hand up to the prince before looking over to him with those blind eyes Kael swore could see him all the same, even if she did deny being blind. Before he could even speak the question that was coming, the druid spoke the answers.

"He was merely dreaming a fever dream, Kael. For reasons that I do not know, he has relapsed into the delirium of sickness. He was.. crying about a Tyrande. Do you know whom that might have been?"

Oh, Shayl knew who Tyrande was, but the druid simply wished to hear of how Kael would describe this woman

Her head would cock, ever so gently, towards Kael, the expression upon Shayl's face something that Kael could only describe as slightly jealous concern. The concern, he could understand, as Kael was able to tell that this kaldorei seemed to see things with her heart, the blindness that had struck her at birth allowing her to see more deeply then eyes would allow.. but the jealousy? That was what baffled him. However, the prince spoke at last in his low tenor, vibrating syllables forming words that drifted in a pleasant manner into Shayl's eardrums.

"He was speaking of the lady Tyrande Whisperwind, Shayl. I met her, once, and from what I was able to glean from what I saw through following events, the lady priestess is the beloved of both my master and his twin brother, Malfurion Stormrage. The two seem to love and care for her deeply and my lord rescued her from the forces of the Lich King before he traveled to Outland."

Silence grew in the hut, a pregnant, thoughtful silence that made Kael shift a bit nervously. He could only watch as Shayl knelt beside his master, one hand on the chest of the hybrid. Illidan was quiet, oddly enough, as if her touch soothed whatever demons plagued his master's memory and soul. But then, perhaps it was her touch that calmed the savage bestial nature that dwelt within Illidan's soul after the former night-elf had consumed the Skull of Gul'dan. At last, the woman druid spoke, voice calm.

"I see. Then, could you bring me cold water and a few good towels? I have a feeling that this is going to be a long night. Your lord is a large man, as we both obviously know, and it is going to take me a while to wipe him down."

For a long moment, Kael simply stood and stared at the young, by even elven terms in both his people and hers, woman. Loosely converted into the terms of humanity, this girl was no more then fourteen or fifteen! But she was so poised and self-assured that Kael found himself hastening to obey her request. After he found clean towels and brought in water, the Quel'Dorei prince settled down beside Shayl, watching her quietly as he often did, never ably to fully trust her.

The young druid didn't seem to mind, however and Shayl simply spent her time listening to Illidan's delirious ramblings. Kael often asked her what he was saying and the kaldorei would glance his way, those pools of gold glimmering in the light of the fire before the woman finally said that, quite simply, he was speaking of his past. But the prince noticed that the woman before him looked a bit paler then normal underneath those lavender tones that covered her body and her hand shook slightly upon Illidan's chest.

The words that continued to spill from Illidan's mouth were words that shook the young female kaldorei to her core, words that told her exactly how much she didn't know about her own people! Shayl had indeed left as a young thing, no more then fifteen or sixteen. As a result of her being ostracized by most of the children she had grown up with, even the adults quietly shunning the blind female, Shayl knew very little of the cultures and history of her kind. Oh, yes, she knew that this half-breed lying under her touch had greatly influenced the course of history and that Malfurion Stormrage had spouted dire warnings about Illidan if he was ever freed, but Shayl had gleaned so little knowledge that what the girl _did _know was nothing more then second-hand biased information.

Even as her hand stroked over the wound, stroking the heated skin with cool liquid, the man beneath the druid's hands.. dreamed.. 

_no.. not **dreamed**.._

**He...**

_**remembered...**_

- **_... A savage blow caused the head of the blind-folded man to jerk to the side. Slowly, from between white teeth, a pale tongue of pinkish-lavender coloration snaked out to slide across the droplet of dark blue blood that emerged from the cut on his lip. Then, a twisted grin spreading over Illidan's mouth, the man returned his blind-folded skull forward, staring at the vibrating colors that created Maiev's figure._**

_**"Come now, Watcher, surely you can do better then that," the condemned snarled in open, mocking amusement. "After all, you haven't hit me hard as you usually do."**_

_**Letting out a furious command for her Watchers to leave them, the female kaldorei stared intently with those burning green eyes at the half-naked man before her, surveying his figure. And then, like aways, she was pressing her mouth to his, the pair finding a strange connection in their hatred for each other. **_

_**Her long nails scraped at his pectorals, at his biceps, at his abdomen. That slender hand of hers dove into his loose pants, past the draw-string waistband. Illidan's head snapped back and he let out a snarl of hate-filled pleasure at Maiev who simply smirked and bit at his neck. **_

_**Then, the sounds of distant battle touched the long ears that adorned either purple head. Maiev let out a hiss of anger at being interrupted with the one she had claimed for a sexual outlet and removed her hand. Storming out of the cage, hand flicking to release the manacles that held Illidan against the wall, the door slammed shut behind her.**_

_**Letting out a sigh that was faintly tinted with regret, but possessed wholly of relief, the Betrayer squatted down, reaching out to where he kept his few, meager possessions that he'd been allowed by his twin brother. Very few possessions indeed. Only a pouch that held a few items that remained from his other life, and his pants.. and his war glaives. Those, however, were kept out of the cage. As always, he turned his head towards where they hung from a nearby wall. Then, a voice that he had not heard in ten thousand years split the darkness of his soul, causing the slender, powerful elf to whip about, nearly losing his balance, despite his feline-like grace.**_

_**"Illidan.. Is that you?"**_

_**For several long seconds, the man couldn't speak for lack of air in his throat. Old, painful, powerful feelings clawed at the inside of his chest, squeezing Illidan's heart so tight, he felt like it could burst. The voice was both soothing and agonizing, providing pain and pleasure, all at once. Slowly, he approached the bars of the cage, feeling the energies there crack and hiss at his approach. Those were the only things that he could not free himself from at the moment, the enchantments having been woven by his brother and his followers.**_

_**"Tyrande.. it is your voice. After all these ages spent in darkness, your voice is like the pure light of the moon upon my mind."**_

_**She was like shining silver flame to his eyes, a vision of beauty that flickered and rippled, that lavender skin accentuated by the argent fire that surrounded her with blinding light. Then, the Priestess spoke, her words ripping the man from his peaceful idyll. Words that dredged up memories of his heroics during the War of the Ancients, memories of him leading his people to victory before he had betrayed them to Azshara.**_

_**"The Legion has returned, Illidan. Your people have need of you once more."**_

_**A twisted, bitter smile touched Illidan's mouth, even as his brows drew together over his head, the man leaning forward to snarl out words of contemptuous return. The syllables that came from his mouth were full of bitter anger, strong and powerful in their hatred for those who had condemned him to this prison.**_

_**"Because I once cared for you Tyrande, I will hunt down the demons. But I will never owe **_**our ****_people anything."_**

_**A nod was given before the sounds of chains breaking apart, and hinges creaking, filled the air as freedom was granted to one who had lacked it for ten millennium, spending those thousand centuries within a darkness that swelled up from his own soul.**_

_**"Then let us hurry back to the surface. The demon's corruption spreads with every second we waste."**_

_**Slowly, the tall man stepped out of the cage. Immediately, he went over to the wall that held his war glaives and removed them with the gentleness of a lover reunited with his beloved. These weapons had saved his life more then once and he felt their power course through him, feeding him the tingling, ecstatic feeling of the magic, the arcane wellspring that filled his soul. Together, the renegade ran beside the white frost saber that Tyrande rode upon, his long legs reveling in the freedom of movement, in the openness that now lay before him, no longer being cramped and confined to a cell. And then, they came to a stop, their way blocked by a figure that Illidan had half wanted to see, half wanted to never view again.**_

_**"Furion!" Tyrande cried, her voice full of astonishment.**_

_**The arch-druid stared at the two of them, before Illidan spoke, voice full of powerful malicious intensity for the one who'd sentenced him to this hellhole of a prison.**_

_**"It has been an eternity, brother. An eternity spent in darkness!"**_

_**The blind twin stepped forward, bristling openly as his muscles grew tense, his posture coiling in on itself. In response, Malfurion's hand tightened upon his staff, those glowing silver eyes narrowed slowly, the druid's face twisting into dark lines of solemnity.**_

_**"Illidan! You were sentenced to pay for your sins, nothing more!"**_

_**The recently freed prison stepped forward, weapons jerking upwards, Illidan using the point of one to point at his brother like an accusing finger, voice full of self-righteous indignation as he spat out words tainted with bitter resentment for his confinement by his own family.**_

_**"And who were you to judge me? We fought the demons side by side, if you recall!"**_

_**It was then that Tyrande intervened. Stepping between the two of them, the priestess spoke at first in a commanding manner to the both of them before gently speaking in confiding tones to her lover, reaching out to place a gentle hand upon Furion's.**_

_**"Enough of this, both of you! My love, with Illidan's help, we will drive back the demons once again and save what is left of our beloved land."**_

_**For several long moments, the two brothers stared at one another, silence reigning over them. Furion's entourage and guards began to shift nervously as palpable tension crackled and split the stagnant air of the caverns, silver eyes meeting orbs of smoke colored gold behind the blind cloth. At last, Furion lowered his eyes to the delicate features of the face of his beloved. Slowly, his lips parted and the arch druid's sonorous voice rumbled through the air and over everyone nearby.**_

_**"Have you even considered the cost, Tyrande? This betrayer's aid may doom us all before the end! I'll have nothing to do with this."**_

_**Ignoring the snarl that twisted the lips of his twin, Furion turned his back upon his brother and walked off, leaving him in the dark with Tyrande. At last, after an arduous journey through the caverns, Illidan stepped out of the darkness for the first time in ten thousand years... -**_

A loud gasp echoed through the hut as Illidan's body jerked upwards, sockets staring upwards. Strong hands held him down against the furs, two sets of hands. One was, while slender, ultimately masculine. The other pair was strong and delicate, with rough, callused fingertips that touched his skin with the lightness of phoenix down. Slowly, the man's vision came back into focus and he stared upwards, before a delirious smile would touch his lips.

"Tyrande..?"

Shayl, tilting her head to the side, blinked those blind gold eyes once. Kael himself looked slightly startled, those neon green pools of his eyes opening more widely before he shot a silent look of perusal at Shayl. How could his master mistake the priestess he loved and this.. this foundling of a girl? True, they were similar, partially, in their physical features. Where Tyrande bore the lovely beauty of a woman in her young prime, well into the fullness of womanhood, Shayl was more slender, still in the spring of girlhood, not yet having come to the summer bloom of being a woman.

Yet, Shayl had a thinner face then Tyrande's rounder features and she was a bit shorter. Her hair was green in coloration instead of the priestess's silver-tinged hair of blue and while Tyrande's face bore darker markings that had been placed there by careful hands long ago, the druid's skin was clean of any such decoration. But it was perhaps the way both women carried themselves that was what gave the illusion of Shayl being his master's love. Both the druid and priestess held a powerful will within their soul, both had a soul of great, gentle beauty and both of them seemed to have the ability to care about others easily.

Shayl seemed to debate on whether or not she should allow Illidan to believe that she was Tyrande, but finally, the druid spoke, voice soft and gentle in its tones as she resumed wiping him down gently with the cool water.

"No.. But Tyrande is nearby. She wants you to cooperate with me, Illidan. Can you do that?"

A nod of that great, horned head as Illidan grew lax and restful underneath Shayl's hands. The hours passed and Shayl finished wiping him down at last, the fever having broken not long ago. She wondered about the relapse and lightly, her fingers would touch the bound wound upon his chest. Illidan had passed out, long ago, his sleep easy and peaceful for the moment. Lightly, Shayl placed her hands over the hybrid's chest and the green glow would seep out to coat the wound. Firmly, carefully, she began to knit it together. At last, Shayl finished, feeling drained and her form would slump gently beside Illidan's. Even as Kael watched, astonished, he saw one of Illidan's arms curl slightly about Shayl's body, pulling her closer.

Now.. what could that mean?

* * *

Damn, this chapter came out longer then originally planned. o.O Hope that you guys liked it. Yeeeeeesh. whistles  



	5. Skirmish

**Gravitation**

**By Arcadia-Sama**

**Summary**- Never mind. You'll see.

**Disclaimer**- Only Shayl is copyright me. I own nothing about WarCraft. Though I do wish I did own Arthas and Illidan. x3 Anyways! On with the story!

**Suggested BGM** – _"Animal I Have Become –_ **_Three Days Grace_**

"_...I'll show him my true power!" - _Illidan

And thank you guys, for the reviews!

**BahamutEpyon** – Hehehe! Well, here's more:D

**Talayeh** – Wow. Then, I must say thank you for the review. I know my grammar and punctuation aren't that superb, but I do try. And I have so much fun depicting Illidan in my own personal way. :) He's such a fun character to write about.

**Alhana** – Here then, o Queen of the Silvanesti, is the next update at your royal command.

**FLECHER - **- Well, between me and my boyfriend, we like to say that Maiev pimped Illidan out. After all, ten thousand years is a long time for any person, even an elf. ;D

**adrasteia** – Well, here's more to be read, hun. :)

**zephyrsky** - You flatter me, my good sir. All that I do is simply write whatever comes into my head. As for the insanity.. Well, we'll see. Illidan does like to make trouble for me, after all.

**Trevor** - Well, just the fact that you review is good enough for me! Thanks! hugs

**Kat** - Here's more, then:3 Glad you like!

**Lady Kirima (NSI XD)** - Kinky, eh? Well, just wait until the later chapters. Kinda. XD

**Sharpknife**- 3 Well, glad to see you like it THAT much. First time someone's threatened to use a weapon on me to get me to review!

**Hikari Valentine** - Well, I'm quite happy you liked it enough to review. :3 Shayl's my first EVER WarCraft character and I've molded her story quite a bit with some help from my fiancé. This is just what's been produced over the past few years in a very refined format.

**Gooby** - Uhm. Thanks, I think. xD For such a spastic review. I rarely get them with such.. energy! But hey, here's the next chapter. I updated! Happy, I hope! X3

_Author Notes_ - Oh, one other thing. Words like _this _are in Darnassian and words like **this**are in the language of Sindassi. The language of the Quel'Dorei. And then stuff like **_– this –_** is memories. We all clear? Good. :3

_Author Notes _-One more thing; someone reviewed and told me to "make (Shayl) older". Just to be clear on her age, she is four thousand, seven hundred and two. To convert that into human terms from Kaldorei years (and mind you, this is MY own conversion), that would make Shayl's age eighteen or nineteen. I know I have described her as being only fifteen or sixteen before, but that is how Kael sees her. Illidan would be in his mid-to-late twenties in this story. So, don't worry about ages, people. :)

Now, on with the show!

Illidan- (munching on popcorn) About time. (snort)

Oh, shut up, you.

* * *

It was a rude shove of motion that awoke Shayl as she found herself tumbling quite close to the fire pit within the center of the hut. Groaning from confusion and the violent awakening motion from her slumber, the druid slowly sat upright, shaking her green-crowned head back and forth in slow shakes of motion before a wide yawn caused her mouth to open greatly, showing off those bright white teeth of hers. Within that cage of ivories, a dark purple tongue curled and her silent, mute observer watched the curling with more then a little interest.

From the furs, Illidan sank back weakly, glaring in the woman's general direction. Feelings churned like a maelstrom within the hybrid man, feelings of self-loathing and anger and a deep, sudden hunger that would drive him somewhat insane before they would be sated at last. Ignoring the growling sounds that came from Shayl, the hybrid just sank into memories of events that had occurred not very long ago at all. His hand twitched as he laid there, breathing heavily as he did so.

If Illidan was still possessed of eyes, instead of the gold-colored smoke that now filled the empty sockets they would have been shut tightly as he wondered how things had come to such a scene. The scene he'd woken up to. Swallowing deeply as he turned his head away, Illidan closed his mouth from its open, silent snarl and allowed his mind to drift back to moments that occurred only a short while ago...

- .. **_It was pain that had Illidan's hand lifting to cup his aching skull, hand resting just above the bases of his horns. Oh, by the moon goddess, his head ached abysmally! The pain was much worse then any he truly remembered in a long time, comparable to the wound that still lay open beneath the bandages that roamed across his chest. Oh, true, the druidess that Kael had brought to him was healing his wounds, not that Illidan could really distinguish if they were healing or not from the pain. She was... worthless. Utterly, entirely worthless; she couldn't just heal him once and have vanished. No, she was an incompetent, useless little druidic bitch._**

_**He began to move then, his arms twitching before Illidan noticed, at last, that there was a weight upon his left side. Slowly, with an irritated snarl, he turned his head... and stopped short, as if someone had just cold-cocked him. **_

_**There, lying peacefully as if she were in her own bed, snuggled intimately up against him was Shayl. The open trust and innocence on those finely boned features of hers was what stunned him at first, the knowledge that she was pressed so intimately against him without fear coming in moments later. Her ribs expanded and fell in slow, steady breaths, causing her breasts to press against his side quite firmly in a cycle of motion. One slender arm had been thrown across his chest, laid carefully over the wound and even then, it couldn't quite completely wrap around him. Her head was pillowed on the man's shoulder and the greatest bafflement above all else was the simple smile on the woman's features. There was something that was dangerously beguiling about the smile, or so her impromptu bed partner thought.**_

_**Yet, Illidan couldn't help but stare, the gold-colored smoke that served as his eyes glowing brightly from shock. How long he did gawk quietly down at her face, Illidan didn't know, frozen still by surprise and wonderment at this occurrence. The remade man who was no longer pure kaldorei, for once, wasn't sure of what to do. How was it that this stripling of a girl could so easily rest at his side, unafraid of him? His right hand lifted and gently, he drew his index finger along her jaw line, staring hard at the girl. Shayl's face was refined in his eyes, thanks to the lack of markings. This allowed her skin to gleam without distraction, the smooth unblemished surface aesthetically pleasing in his mind's eye.**_

_**His gaze took in her whole face at first before idly stroking over it. Her cheekbones were high, even for an elf, giving her face a naturally slim look that became her. Her nose was slender in size and quite straight, cut in a commanding line. A strong, firm jaw line spoke of the girl's stubborn nature, leading into a tapering chin that was just the slightest bit wide. Yet, he found that was quite good as well. Slender enough to be attractive in elfish terms, yet broad enough to ensure that when she tucked her chin in, she took whatever came her way in stride. **_

_**Somehow, Illidan found that he somewhat enjoyed having this girl pressed so close to him. He wasn't sure if that was a result from her being a young, fresh thing or if it was something else. But he had come to notice that her body was soft and pliant, warm and giving. And the more he focused on her, the more he focused on how she was pressed against him. Her arm across his chest was enjoyable.. **_

_**But her legs.. **_

_**It was the way she was holding her legs that was truly driving him mad. Her left leg was thrown between his, the slender thigh twitching occasionally in a manner that was quite pleasant to the feeling. Slowly, his right hand lifted and he placed it against her cheek, thumb stroking along her cheekbone.**_

_**Then, idly, one fingertip slowly came to touch the outline of her mouth, stroking gently along her lower lip. That expressive mouth, with the slender upper lip and the plumper lower one, giving the girl quite an open expression that he had gained the displeasure of seeing twist about more then once. Idly, the pad of his index finger gently swept along her bottom lip, stroking its softness, marveling at the warmth there. **_

_**Unintentionally, his head dipped forward slightly, nostrils flaring wide as he breathed in the rich earth scent of freshness that surrounded the woman, her warm breath scented with the mint-water she used every morning to freshen it. His breath mingled with hers and it was only seconds later that he realized how close to her he was. With a venom-filled oath, he nearly threw her away from him, watching as she tumbled towards the fire pit in the hut.. -**_

Shayl finished brushing her hair, one of the few morning rituals that she completed without fail. She finally glanced in Illidan's direction, those blind amber pools glimmering with a liquid golden sheen, head tilting to the side. How was it that the massive, horned figure of a man was able to so distract her at times? Idly, her fingers wove deftly through the thick strands of emerald coloring, forming a braid that hung against her back. Using a flexible circle of string, she bound the end and sighed deeply…

And roars went up through the camp, shouting from blood elf throats as the screeching hisses of the naga had both their heads jerking about. Beneath both sounds was a deeper, more guttural sound that had ice water slithering through Shayl's veins, a sound that was gruesomely human and yet not all at once. Then, the feeling of a foul, utter corruption hit her, a corruption so powerfully tainted, she gasped. Even as the malignant feelings washed over her, the druid recognized the sensation, the same impression that was lingering over Illidan's wound a signature of a darkness that threatened to consume everything in its path.

Shayl, with no regard to her own safety, thinking only of the man who was defenseless (or so she thought) dashed out of the hut. Her hands snapped up to her hair, removing several small spheres from the mass of green. The kaldorei woman was a druid, after all; it only made sense to see her keeping seeds in those long locks of emerald. Hearing a cry of pained rage from nearby, the druid threw the seeds, feeling them split open suddenly as they landed on the figure struggling with the priest, whip-like tendrils wrapping about the ghoul. Quickly, the thing was immobilized and the priest sent the undead being to the here-after with a quick blow from his staff, along with a useful holy spell. Offering a grateful word to the kaldorei for she was neither able to see his nod nor his smile, he ran to help his brethren.

Shayl sighed and then smiled, her hands lifting to her hair again, feeling for more of the seeds. She was honestly surprised that they had remained for so long, but the small orbs were woven deftly like seed pearls through the thick green locks. Then, hearing one of those twisting, grotesque snarls behind her, the druid whirled. But not fast enough. Something leapt upon her and a shriek escaped the druid, Shayl finding her seven foot plus form so very easily pinned to the ground. Then, a different kind of sound erupted through the air, the sound of a person full of an infuriated rage.

"Get off of her!"

Powerful, clawed hands grabbed the ghoul who looked surprised before massive arms flung it through the air into a group of blood elf spell breakers. With wild cries, the triad of males fell with insane vengeful glee upon the undead being. Shayl herself was surprised to find she was being grabbed and hoisted easily into the air by the same person who'd saved her life. It was the smell that gave the presence away and she opened her mouth, at first with the intent to thank her savior. But then that selfsame person began to shake her; not gently at that. As that happened, Illidan railed at her.

"What the hell do you think you were doing, leaping out of the tent like that! You are not trained in the ways of a warrior! You don't know how to fight these things! You are too valuable and useful to me to simply do something so foolhardy as that! I cannot risk losing you! You are the only person- the only healer- who has actually been able to aid me! That mea-"

And then he crumpled.

There was no other word for it. One moment, he was holding onto Shayl, shaking her as he found that he was trembling slightly, infuriated at how the girl had thrown herself into the path of danger with no regard to herself and filled with self-loathing as he realized that this simple, innocent druid was starting to become important to him other then being simply his healer. The next, he simply swayed before crumpling on the spot. The kaldorei woman was dragged down with him, finding that he was pinning her down by being sprawled across her lap.

"Illidan! Illidan! Are you alright?"

Stupid question, her mind screamed at her. Of course he's not alright! He's wounded and hurt.. and he just saved your life.

Shayl's voice betrayed a worry that had Illidan wondering if she knew what she sounded like; a woman worried about her lover. That thought had his blood boil and he planted one hand and then the other on the ground, encasing her body between his arms and lifted his head to snarl at her, lips already peeling back in a rather feral manner from his teeth, baring the large canines that gleamed in his mouth-

Then one wing snapped out, back-lashing a ghoul that had tried to leap upon them. Gathering the foolish druid up into one arm, he dug his other one into the ground before bellowing words of power, spikes of earth suddenly erupting from the ground as he used the nexus of powers about him from all the priests and mages about himself as he had done long ago in the last war he'd been in. The ghouls screamed, as did the few abominations that had come with them, the shambling masses of horrific flesh stitched together bursting at the seams with black ichor, each and every bloated piece of their body held on through thick lines of black thread. The action in the camp froze for a moment before the naga and blood elves all leapt onto the writhing undead, obliterating them from the face of the camp.

Turning, Illidan gave a contemptuous snort of air before he returned to the tent that he occupied and simply collapsed onto a fur, hearing Kael rush in moments later, followed by the "lovely" lady Vashj. He did recognize her, if only barely. Two of her four arms were crossed beneath her chest and the other two held onto her bow, the feline-slanted eyes of gold she held within her now reptilian features narrowed sharply. The pair of lieutenants watched as Shayl worked on repairing the damage that Illidan had just wrought upon himself, the healer berating her patient as she did so.

"What were you thinking, jumping around like that! I could have handled things, without you being so foolish as to get out of bed and make your condition worse! Now I have to worry about your wound being worse then it already is!"

Even as the harsh words escaped the kaldorei woman, her hands were gentle upon Illidan's chest, carefully removing the bandages there as she shook her head more then once, muttering to herself about male foolishness, wondering why he had even bothered with leaping out of bed to save her. Oh, sure, he had ranted at her briefly earlier, but Shayl couldn't help but feel that there was more to it then that. Then, Illidan's hand caught her wrist and he yanked her across his chest, growling at her as he did so, speaking between slightly clenched teeth.

"Foolish woman! You are, as I said earlier, far too valuable for you to risk your life in such a manner! If and when we are attacked again, you are to stay here in the hut and remain out of sight! If you are lost, then I am as well. You alone have the power to heal me. That in itself makes you extremely valuable to me. I will not argue over this and about it with you, woman!" His lips curled into a slight teasing smirk. "Foolish woman.. You simply just can't leave well enough alone, can you?"

Shayl's lips worked once and then twice before she simply nodded harshly, gritting her teeth before yanking herself upright, pulling away from his chest. Finishing her mission of checking the bandages, the woman pulled herself free of his presence and turned, leaving the hut. Behind her, Kael and Vashj exchanged glances. Both of them had heard the malicious affection in Illidan's words when he had called Shayl a 'foolish woman' the second time around. It couldn't have been that their master was growing fond of the kaldorei. All in the camp knew of Illidan's contempt for his former people and knew of their loathing for him. But Shayl was... different; that much had been obvious from the start. She had never once turned on their master, save for when he frustrated her. But even then, she acted like a woman being annoyed instead of with a racial hatred that had been taught to her from when she could walk. Kael and Vashj looked at each other again, their thoughts connecting briefly through the glance. At last, Shayl's mute sputtering came to an end, the girl likely having been biting her tongue to keep the invectives that she likely would have more then happily used to flay Illidan with stopping, and the druid spoke.

"Well, since you don't need me, I shall go aid the priests then in healing the wounded!"

Drawing herself up to her feet, the druid whirled and stomped out of the hut, her stance full of bristling anger. Illidan watched her go, gaze briefly dipping to her hips, admiring them as he did so. He would only just grudgingly admit that she had an attractive body. Shayl's personality, however, left something to be greatly desired. Illidan had to admit, however, that it was great fun to rile the woman up, to watch her features twist into a stubborn, scowling pout. It was during those times that he greatly enjoyed watching her brilliant, passionate nature come into play and her sharp mind whip up ridiculously funny retorts to his insults. At last, however, he turned his attention to Kael and Vashj and gestured impatiently for them to speak their minds. Kael, after exchanging another glance with Vashj, stepped forward.

"Master.. We cannot stay here for much longer. We are running a greater and greater risk of being discovered by the Lich King. True, we move as often as possible with you being in your condition, but we need to leave these lands for good if we are to shake the undead off of our trail for now."

Vashj moved forward as well, her arms all crossed over her torso now, the upper pair causing her buxom bosom to be pressed upwards in a rather attractive manner- if a fish-snake could ever be considered attractive. She spoke as well, her watery voice low and purring in a slow and thoughtful manner, her feline-slanted eyes peering at the familiar figure of the man before herself. Oh, yes, Vashj did remember this being as a rather impetuous young sorceror who'd been graced by the queen's approval. Her words, however, were quite different then what her thoughts were.

"The young prince has a point, Master Illidan. If our people continue to dally here, we are more likely then not going to end up being wiped out. We must leave and we must leave soon."

Illidan was silent, his mind churning before he propped himself up on his elbow, staring through the wrinkled blindfold of black cloth he wore, the twin wisps of gold-colored smoke increasing in size and intensity as the half-breed stared at both of his minions now, thin lips pressing together as he finally started to speak, harsh voice rising through the air. Even as the words spilled out, the sorceror was pulling his bandaged and aching figure upright into a sitting position, aware that clean pants were close by. One large hand reached out, clasping hold of the pants, taking them closer.

"Then we shall leave. Start gathering everyone in the camp up and inform them that we are taking our leave of this place at last." A grim smile. "But leave me the pleasure of informing my healer and ensuring that she cooperates with us."

Vashj and Kael exchanged looks and then nodded, looking up when Illidan hoisted himself upright and then quickly vanished through the flap of the hut, the lieutenants following suit moments later, both splitting up to go speak with their various factions. But when a shrill, indignant shriek split the air, more then one head turned and sudden, amused smiles split the faces of both naga and blood elves as they witnessed Shayl, yelling her pretty head off, thumping her fists against Illidan's back as he weaved almost drunkly back towards his hut, a sardonic smirk on the sorceror's lips.

Oh boy.

* * *

Arc- (looks sheepish) Sorry about the long wait for this update, people. Hope you like it. Right, Illy? (looks at him)

Illidan- (snorts again and shrugs) I suppose. (grumbles under his breath about how Shayl's forcing him to do this)


	6. Hunger

**Gravitation  
By Arcadia-Sama  
Summary**- Never mind. You'll see.  
**Disclaimer**- Only Shayl is copyright me. I own nothing about WarCraft. Though I do wish I did own Arthas and Illidan. x3 Anyways! On with the story!  
**Suggested BGM** – _"The Perfect Drug" – **Nine Inch Nails**_

_"Arise, in the name of the Lich King" - _Arthas

And thank you guys, for the reviews!

**Fey Croix** - Thanks. I thought it was horrid. XD

**moonlightXIII** - I have, every now and then. I thought the battle scene sucked, but thanks for the compliment on it:D

**Nixsend** - Ahahahaha! He hasn't even started to really torment her yet. That truly begins in this chapter right here. And yes, he's not going to admit he has feelings for her for a few chapters more. By chapter eight, he'll admit it to himself, though. x3 As for drugging it.. _Moi_? Do that? (innocent look) I would never do such a thing. (hides the bottle of "Addicting Fanfic" behind her back)

**Gooby** - Thanks, I suppose. XD

**Dachande** - Well, thank you indeed then, Dach! I'm glad you're enjoying it!

**Sharpknife** - o.O I am? Wow! Thank you very much indeed! I think that's the best compliment I've ever gotten about my story so far. :) It's nice knowing that I'm actually an inspiration to some people. XD

_Author Notes_ - Oh, one other thing. Words like _this _are in Darnassian and words like **this**are in the language of Sindassi. The language of the Quel'Dorei. And then stuff like **_– this –_** is memories. We all clear? Good. :3

* * *

The hissing of the waves filled the sound of the air as the prow of the ship cut through the water, the rocking motion more pronounced to those who possessed eyes then those who didn't. Thick ropes were lashed to the bow of the ship, trailing beneath the surface of the water, their lengths more often taut then not. Perched on the bow, one hand wrapped about a ratline of the ship, was Shayl, her blind face turned towards the sun that had emerged from behind the perpetual cover of clouds that had been left far behind at Northrend.

Shayl turned then, bare feet finding the wood of the railing she was perched upon, the kaldorei's swaying body moving elegantly over the lacquered and narrow strip of wood. She did keep one hand upon the ropes, however, just for the sake of knowing which side the ship was on. But there was a sense of weightlessness to her left side, one hand extended out over the rolling, hissing spray of sea water. A naga siren lifted her head, peering up at the woman who was standing upon the railing, grinning like a fool, so to speak and shook her head. Such foolhardiness in the blind women baffled more people far more often then not.

At last, however, Shayl heard her name spoken and twisted about, leaping down upon the rolling deck, rising to her feet before turning to face Kael, blind eyes focusing upon his face. She felt his surprise as he peered at her before she turned her head upwards, staring directly into the sun she had never seen, just as she had never seen the moon either, both of them bathing her in beauty that was never to visit her sight. An inhale, eyes closing slowly before she dipped her head downwards, peering down at the shorter man who merely watched her now.

"Yes, Kael? Does Illidan require something of me?"

Again, she felt the man's surprise, the prince drawing both long golden brows together over his glittering green eyes. How this blind woman could so easily say such things, he wasn't sure. It was quite uncanny to say the least, having her words ring in those tapering appendages only further serving to convince him that there was far more to this woman then had been seen. True, she radiated a power that had his mouth water with the temptation to feed on her, but she was so.. different. At last, however, he spoke, crossing his arms over his chest.

"As always, he rants for you to come and heal him so he can be free of you."

Kael watched as a dark frown touched Shayl's face, the kaldorei pressing her lips together before tossing her head like a mare he'd known. The horse had been wild as a filly, full of spirit and defiance. The mare had been quite distrustful of people as a small filly and Kael had his hands full when his brother, disgusted about his own inability to tame the beautiful creature, had dumped the horse on him. So, the young prince had been made to work at taming the mare. He had worked on gaining her trust, had worked on gently harnessing her spirit to work with his own. Eventually, the mare came to trust him. Kael's eyes narrowed as he suddenly surveyed how his master was treating the girl, a mixture of sweetness and rancor mixing for a certainly odd combination. But he said nothing, deciding to simply watch and see how things were to turn out and if his suspicions were to be proven correct. An involuntary shudder ran over Kael's flesh when Shayl smiled, the gesture full of a syrupy sweetness that made his skin crawl for there was nothing but trouble in that smile.

"Then I suppose that I shouldn't keep him waiting, then," the young druid replied, turning to walk across the planks of the ship.

Bending down to accommodate her tall frame for a door height that had been built for beings a foot shorter then she was, Shayl ducked out of the heated sunlight into the relatively cool cabin that Illidan had commandeered for his own use. Shayl herself had agreed with his thinking (for once) and had set up a small area for her own use against the wall across from the bed he was now confined to. And there were good reasons for that as the young druid had argued with him over more then once. It seemed that they were to argue it again and she was going to have to make things clear to him that as long as she was around, Illidan was to follow her orders concerning his health. Everything else however.. Well, that was a different story between the pair. Easily making her way over to the bed where the slow, rasping breathing of air indicated that Illidan was asleep, or close to it, Shayl knelt beside the bed, the motions of the ship lulling her into a calm state of mind. Then she heard the softly growling whisper of his voice, the gravelly baritone of it drawing the kaldorei in to his presence as it always did, a process she would not admit to herself.

"You're slow, girl. Incredibly so. I thought that you would have been here sooner to tend to your duties. You do remember your duties, do you not?" came Illidan's scathing tones, one hand reaching out to yank the girl closer by the shirt Shayl wore, nearly hauling her atop him as a result.

"Oh, I don't know, my lord. You always keep me so busy tending to other things that sometimes, you're just last on my list of priorities. And you've been doing so well too with your healing," Shayl said calmly. She was trying not to pay mind to the fact that she was sprawled indecently alongside him upon the bed. Mockingly almost, she laid a hand upon his forehead in a gesture pretending to take his temperature.. and then she stopped before her hand moved down to his cheek, feeling the same thing there too. Illidan's skin.. She bent down, pressing her cheek to his now, ignoring the growl of protest that emerged from the man's throat. Yes.. She was feeling things right. His skin was cold.. so very cold indeed and clammy too with sweat. "Illidan.. What's wrong with you?"

Illidan remained very still and silent beneath the female, his breathing slowly growing heavier and harsher as he flexed his hands against his sides, one hand still settled against her bosom. How could he tell this girl that he was getting sick from.. from.. bloody hell, he was going through withdrawal! Kael hadn't had an opportunity to come and give Illidan his vials that held water from the Well of Eternity that he still possessed. As a result, the hybrid was growing hungrier and hungrier for the magic he so wanted and needed. But how could this girl understand that need? She, who was so pure and untouched by the ravages of the arcane magics that he so needed to live. She, who was brimming with magic.. and his desire to feed upon her was growing with each passing moment. Abruptly, he shoved her off of the bed onto the floor of the cabin. His mouth opened, snarled words emerging in ragged tones as he curled his fingers tightly.

"Get me.. Kael! He'll bring me what I need..! My.. magic!"

Shayl lifted herself upwards, peering at him before she remembered what she had been told by her father. He had grown so attached to the magics, he was like an addict. Without them, he would die. Pressing her hand to her chest, Shayl stared down at his figure. Or what, to a casual observer, would seem like staring. Her brow knitted in thought, Shayl sat back down on the bed and took Illidan's larger hand into her own. Inhaling, she spoke softly, eyes gleaming even sightless as they were.

"Then.. take what you need from me, Illidan."

A brief snarl met her words before his hand detached itself from hers, and reaching upwards was curled about the back of her neck. Pulling her down, Illidan's mouth opened, a hiss of anticipation emerging from his throat before his teeth sank into her throat, a gush of warm blood filling his mouth. Shayl gasped, head tilting even further upwards, exposing more of her neck to Illidan's hungry lips. Her arms wrapped convulsively about his head as a low moan escaped the druid's throat. This felt.. so wrong. This felt so very _right! _Her fingers clutched at his hair, curling into it tightly. Pulling her down on top of him, Illidan rolled over somewhat, pinning her to the bed beneath him as he kept his mouth to her neck. This served two purposes.

One, it seemed to certainly subdue her and the other.. it fed him her blood which was filled with the wild magics of nature. While it wasn't arcane magic, the sheer power of it was more then enough to tide the hybrid over. Yet even with the replenishment of the magic that he so desperately needed, Illidan didn't stop feeding on her. The druid beneath him writhed in pleasure, Shayl's mind flooded with thoughts on how right and wrong this was. But she took her oaths as a healer seriously and if he needed this.. Well, she wouldn't deny him. But then, how could she deny him when this made her entire body throb with pleasure? For the first time in her life, Shayl was suddenly aware of her own femininity, aware of Illidan's strong, powerful form and how closely their bodies were nestled together. In other words, it seemed that she was suddenly hitting puberty. Her hands were clutching at his back now, nails raking along the thick muscles in his shoulders and above his ribs, her body twisting to entwine with his.

Illidan held her close, crushing her to his chest as he rested atop her nubile figure. This delicate creature of a woman had begun to stir emotions deep within the stony depths of his heart, emotions that had yet to truly touch the sorcerer. But they were there, along with his darker nature that was awakening. The demon in him stirred, rousing itself at the taste of the blood, the scent of the magic that was so delicious. His nostrils flared, breathing in the sweet, pure scent of this woman and both sides of him, demon and kaldorei, were in accord about one thing: she belonged to _them. _Yes. The druid was theirs.

The demon purred in a deep rumble of silent words that only Illidan understood emerging from it. _Ours. She belongs to us, this sweet virginal being of power and life. We have marked her. We have **claimed **her. She will always belong to us. _

_Yes, _Illidan replied, his arms crushing the willing body of Shayl to his own. _She's.. Mine. _

Shayl writhed beneath him, against him. Pleasure throbbed through them both, her breathing coming in deeper, greater gasps of sound as she pushed up against him. A warmth deep in her body spread to caress the very tips of her toes and fingers, ecstasy building higher and higher as the druid's hands clutched even more tightly at his back, fingers curling over the bases of both broad, powerful wings that were swept up into the air, Illidan's body curled over her own in a possessive manner. Both druid and sorcerer rocked and at last, a pleasure burst in the druid's mind, a rush of beautifully sublime emotions before she sank down, down, down into a bloody warmth that rocked her to sleep. Above her, Illidan snarled, shuddering in undeniable pleasure, fingers slowly shredding the thick mattress beneath Shayl's body. Then, something made him lift his head. Shayl wasn't moving and her pulse was weakening, fluttering faintly beneath her skin. Blood running down his chin, blood that was a dark purple in color, the sorcerer inhaled before he bellowed out a single word, screaming for one of his generals.

"Kael!"

* * *

The blood elf rose to his feet, adjusting the priest's robes that hung from his tall figure. A small breath was taken, chest rising beneath the thick fabric of his robes before he turned to look at the scowling face of his lord and master, trying not to squirm under Kael or Vashj's piercing looks either. But it was the temperament of Illidan that had all three in the room with him on pure edge. It seemed that he'd snap at any moment and they were trying to avoid that for now. Taking a small glance over his shoulder at the woman lying on the cot, the priest took in another breath before speaking. But before any words could escape his mouth, Illidan spoke up before them all, his voice full of a dire promise of pain if the priest didn't answer the sorcerer correctly.

"Tell me the truth. Will that woman be alright?!"

Thylos hesitated, his mouth opening before he stole another glance over his shoulder. Shayl was lying beneath a thick blanket, her already pale skin even more pale while a large bruise still covered the side of her neck, the flesh raised upwards about the wound upon it. The druid had also developed a high fever which was a result he surmised due to the sudden loss of not only a good deal of blood but almost all of her magic as well. Turning his green eyes forward again, he looked up into the face of the man who had taken sudden control of his people with such ease.

"Yes, my lord. She will be, provided that she is simply given time to rest. Her body has suffered a dreadful shock and as a result will need time to recover everything that it lost today. That is, unfortunately, all that I can really do for her at the moment. Perhaps if she was taken into the moonlight tonight.. It is a full moon and it just might help her."

Falling silent, the trio in the room watched the expressions on Illidan's face change. Brooding anger turned to thoughtful scowling which became stony resignation. But a black tongue ran across what blood remained on those lips and a faint smile, almost lovingly cruel, seemed to ghost the mouth of the half-demon. At last, one broad hand lifted and Illidan flicked it at the door, silently ordering them to leave. Kael exited first, followed by Vashj while the priest brought up the rear. A single lingering glace was cast partially over the white adorned shoulder before the door shut behind Thylos. Rising to what passed for his feet as he had hooves now instead of a normal foot, the hybrid stepped over to the cot the young druid was resting on and knelt beside her. Slowly, one powerful finger reached out, trailing over that plump bottom lip. Powerful muscles upon his chest flexed and hardened as a deep breath was taken in, lines of hard flesh straining against the bandages that wrapped around them before the hiss of air signified the exhale from his mouth, words coming with it, words that the woman wouldn't hear, words that Illidan himself wasn't sure as to where they came from.

"Why.. do I worry over you? Why did my heart stop when you fell limp and still under me? I couldn't possibly be growing to care for you. No, that would be a foolish thing to do for you are a foolish woman. You're not even a woman but a mere stripling of a child!"

… And yet.. The memory of her body beneath his had Illidan's throat rumbling in a deep growl of mild pleasure, the sorcerer tilting his head downwards lightly to study the prone form of the druid, her green-capped head visible while the blankets pulled up to her chin concealed the rest of her body from his view. True, he could make out the shape of it beneath the layers of thick, warm cloth, but the true curves and slopes of that powerfully lean figure were concealed even from his odd way of viewing the world. One hand touched the edge of the blankets, half tempted to remove them from her body before Illidan forced himself to stand, moving away from the source of the temptation. Imbued with her magic that burned and fueled his body, giving him strength that he much needed, the half-breed left the cabin, stepping out onto the deck.

Behind him, Shayl stirred briefly before settling down, a soft sigh escaping her lips, carrying a word with it.

"Illidan…"

* * *

**Arc**- Woo! And that's the end of chapter six! (victory pose)  
**Illidan**- (snorts loudly and just grumbles about being compensated)  
**Shayl**- (sighs and then touches her neck gingerly)**  
Arc**- Alright, so before anyone freaks out and goes "WTF?!" over how Illidan fed upon Shayl, it's simple. I was watching Blade while writing this chapter and I was wondering how would Illidan fed on Shayl in a manner that's different and unique and totally hot and sexy all at once? XD And there was the answer in the movie. So, I hope that you guys liked. Hehehehe. :3 I want at least five reviews, people! 


	7. Voyage

**Gravitation  
Arcadia-Sama  
Summary**- Never mind. You'll see.  
**Disclaimer**- Only Shayl is copyright me. I own nothing about WarCraft. Though I do wish I did own Arthas and Illidan. x3 Anyways! On with the story!  
**Suggested BGM** – _"Master of Puppets" – **Metallica**_

_"YOU ARE NOT PREPARED!" - _Illidan

And thank you guys, for the reviews! I asked for only five, but I've gotten over what I asked for! You all really rose to the occasion! Thank you all! (Now let's see ten of those nice reviews for this chapter.. . )

**Arsenel** - Ahahahahaha! Thanks for the review! And, well, you'll see. X3 I do so like to create mini-cliffhangers.

**Sora** - Bondage? o.O Eh, we'll see. Perhaps, perhaps not.

**Flamescythe** - What, did you think it wouldn't wind up with one? ;D And Triple H is in Blade: Trinity. I didn't even recognize him until my boyfriend made a comment on there being a professional wrestler in the movie and me, having watched WWF Smackdown and Raw for about three years, recognized him in an "OMG!" manner. XD Ahahaha.

**Kitkat** - Well, I'm certainly happy that you're enjoying the entire story hun!

**Chain** - Ahahaha. Thanks. XD

**FLECHER -** - You! (shakes her fist at) You did not review my last chapter and you've been good on doing reviews! And hahaha. If you think that was bad on Shayl in the last chapter, this one is a bit worse. XD And awww, thanks for the compliment about the chapter.

**BahamutEpyon** - Woot! Well, here you go!

**Loosecannon17** - Well, thank you very much then:) I'm happy to know that I could inspire you to try out a new class in WoW! XD Just keep in mind that Shayl's not your typical druid.

**Kikuta** - (bows deeply) Thank you, my dear! I'm pleased that you enjoyed it:) This is my little pet project, yessssssss.. (pets the fic and then gets beaten upside the head by Illidan)

**Jade-Eyed-Sakura** - (bows) Well, thank you! I have quite a fun time describing Illidan. X3 He might not enjoy it as much as I do, though!

**Kenaisya** - Well, thank you! I do enjoy making Illidan squirm at Shayl's hands. He's just so good at it. X3 (cackles, gets whacked on the head by Illidan) And she likes it too, even if she won't admit it. Just yet. Fufufufufufu!

**Trevor **- Illidan was going for the junction of throat and shoulder.. xD I guess I should go back and rewrite that part, then. Oopsie. But thanks, hun! Here's to hoping you stick with me.

**Gooby** - xD Haha, well, thanks. I don't think I do that great a job with the characters, but I do try my best. :3 Illidan is the worst, though. He almost never cooperates with me and what I do. xD

**Felhunter** - (bows deeply) Why, thank you! I do agree that the tension between Shayl and Illidan has to be by far my favorite thing to write, because we all know that it's the tension of two people who are so attracted to each other, they deny it and fight like rabid dogs. xD As for the questions and cliffhanger.. I hope you get some of them answered in this chapter:D As for the feeding.. Illidan's an addict, he needed a sensual way to get the magic he needs to live from Shayl.. xD That worked!

_Author Notes_ - Oh, one other thing. Words like _this _are in Darnassian and words like **_this _**are in the language of Sindassi, which is the language of the Sin'Dorei, who are the blood elves. And then stuff like **_– this –_** is memories. We all clear? Good. :3

Burning Crusade needs to come out. Now. Because I can't stop watching the opening cinematic for the game. I want to go hump Illidan's face, the graphics are so lovely.

Now, on with the show :D

* * *

**_From the journal of Kael'Thas Sunstrider_**

_**Dated the fourth day of the fifth month**_

**_It has been two weeks now, since my master had his.. encounter with the druid healer. She has not stirred nor awoken. Indeed, the girl doesn't stir, even now, as I sit here, penning this out. My master grows increasingly frustrated with her lack of response to our attempts at treatment. I have suggested that he perhaps try reviving her with the arcane magicks. I shall not make that mistake again, for my jaw has yet to heal as he's forbidden the priests to heal me as due punishment. He has, in his own words, told me that he "refuses to taint the female druid" with the magicks of the arcane. She is to remain pure and powerful in the ways of druidism. To feed her body the magicks of the arcane would start to twist her in ways that would not be acceptable. This notion is worrisome for I have begun to suspect my master developing feelings for this druid female. She is a child of the ancient Kaldorei race, a people who drove out my ancestors. Even my forefather, Dath'Remar, was not accepted despite his heroic actions of saving the love of Malfurion Stormrage. Such an occurrence is-_**

The scratching of the phoenix quill ceased abruptly as Kael turned his head, the light from the oil lantern nearby illuminating his golden-skinned features. Green eyes narrowed and then he dipped his head forward, moving to kneel beside Shayl, reaching out to touch her smoothly skinned face with his fingers. Eyes focused on the features of the druid, surveying her hair and then he rose to his feet, turning to head towards the door. The yellowing bruise on his cracked jaw throbbed painfully as he stepped up the stairs, heading for the fresh night air of the deck above. A deep inhale passed his lips before he turned his gaze towards the upper deck, listening to the slapping of the waves against the hull of the ship. They were not moving at the moment, even the naga needing rest from the strenuous pace Illidan commanded that they move at. Stepping up to stand beside his master, Kael bowed his head quietly, letting glossy locks of blond hair fall about his slender features.

Illidan stood there, the night breeze toying with the hairs of his horsetail, uplifted from the rest of the mass of midnight-blue strands by a sheath of leather. His face was turned upwards, the silver rays of the moon kissing across his features. The massive hybrid shifted once, a hoof scraping across the wooden planks of his spot before turning to stare down at Kael. A shiver ran down the spine of the prince of the Sin'Dorei, surveying those amber-tinted tufts of smoke which hovered in the depths of his master's eyeless sockets, able to be seen even through the thick dark blue cloth that wrapped about his features. Ribbed horns curled upwards proudly, stabbing at the night in defiance before the sorcerer spoke, his voice a deep snarl of baritone.

"Yes, Kael? I have told you not to contact me unless there has been a change with my druid. Has there been, or are you wishing to simply feel another tap of my fist against your face?"

Ever since the druid had slipped into her coma, due to his master's feeding, Kael had noticed that his master's temper was quite darker then usual. It was as if he would not be satisfied until she awoke. Burning pools of green met amber smoke. An inhale stirred the hairs that hung about his face and he finally spoke up, eyes focusing upon his master's chest, noting the markings of power that Sargeras had left upon Illidan, markings that enhanced his magical abilities even farther then the strongest of the Blood Elf sorcerers, Kael himself included in that bunch.

"Master.. I have had an idea. Perhaps if you brought the druid out into the moon's light, she might start to recover. I have noticed she has been stirring thanks to the fact that the moon is nearly full. That may be what she needs in order to awaken from this sleep she has fallen into. After all.. aren't her people the children of the moon?"

Kael remained silent as he felt his master's moods shift about, anger becoming neutrality and then an acceptance of the idea. Finally, one large hand twitched and then long fingers moved, the ridged nails of burnished steel coloration curling before the half-demon let out a deep snarl of enraged compliance. Turning about, Illidan tromped down the stairs and then headed into the cabin. Once in there, he ducked his head under the doorframe and came to stand beside the bed. Blindfolded gaze was set upon the girl before Illidan leaned down, bending at the waist. Strong arms slowly moved beneath Shayl's body and then, ensuring that the blankets were still wrapped about her nude form, the sorcerer then returned to the fresh night air of the deck. If anyone saw the girl, besides himself, he'd kill them. Shayl was his, dammit, and-

The sorcerer stopped in his tracks, one foot set upon one step, the other on the one beneath. His? This girl? This wretched thing? This excuse for a healer, a druid AND a woman? Pfah! True, she belonged to him by being his healer, but anything beyond that and he refused to contemplate the idea that maybe, just maybe, she was starting to worm her way into his heart. Coming to a halt beside Kael, a dark gaze was cast upon the younger elf who excused himself after seeing the look- and the threat behind it. Carefully, Illidan laid Shayl down and then unwrapped the furs from her body before turning his gaze upwards. An inhale was given before he spoke, voice gruff as he forced words out that were quite hard for him to get out.

"I.. Beg your pardon, Elune.. but.. I must beg of you. Help this girl out. She.. might be stubborn and annoying, even downright infuriating, but.. I.. would miss having her around. She is.. interesting and different. I.. ask of you.. please.. help her."

The great horned head bowed then as Illidan champed his teeth shut upon his lower lip, nearly drawing blood from the tender flesh. His emotions were purely chaotic at the moment, for he was unsure if his prayer was heard. Or if it was, if it would even be acknowledged; after all, Illidan was not in the good graces of anyone these days. Not his brother or Tyrande, his master or even Kael! The waiting was agonizing and just as he was about to give up, the half-breed paused. Was it his imagination or was the moonlight seeming to thicken about the girl?

.. No, no it wasn't his imagination.

Startled awe touched his face briefly as he saw Shayl cocooned in thick molten strands of moonlight, the silver beams wrapping about her form. Then, a burst of light passed through the air, nearly blinding the already blind man, before it dissipated and he knelt beside her. One hand reached down and he trailed one ridged claw of steel coloration down her face, feeling his skin tingle as the newly suffused magic in her body made his skin -and blood- burn. A deep growl escaped Illidan's throat and he bent his head down, inhaling the fragrant aroma of Shayl's skin and body. The potent magic in her blood called to the beast within him and he bent his head further, teeth grazing her skin.

A soft moan had his head jerking upwards, Illidan nearly impaling himself with his own horns his head jerked back so far and so fast. He shoved himself up and away from Shayl as the druid stirred, slowly sitting up. His gaze focused on her face, the man refusing to let his gaze wander further then it already had. But what he had seen before she awoke had roused more then just his bestial nature. A sharp inhale before he forced himself to calm down. But oh, what a sight he beheld in his memory! The druid's body was beautiful, her legs long, waist dainty and small (he would bet his hands would fit around it with ease), and her chest full and beautiful. He simply watched as her hands came up to her head before sliding down her body, until coming to rest on the fur. Then, Shayl jerked her own head up now, popping her spine as she did so, yanking the fur about her body. Silence reigned between them both and then Illidan spoke, instinctively holding a hand up, just as Shayl opened her mouth.

"Not a word."

Bending down, he yanked the girl up into his arms and tromped back to his cabin, kicking the door shut. A massive yawn opened the man's jaws, exposing his sharp teeth to view before they slammed together. Dropping her on the mattress, Illidan pushed her against the wall before he removed his pants and slid beneath the second fur, leaving the girl trapped between the two. A grim smile twisted Illidan's lips as he heard muttered cursing escaping Shayl and threw an arm across the blindfolded span of his face. All was well again with the wench druid. He did pause though when he felt her body wriggle closer and then his head turned slightly beneath the weight of his arm.

"Woman, what-?"

"It's cold," Shayl retorted, wrapped up firmly beneath the fur as she pressed her back against Illidan's side, the druid trying to ignore the fact that it was only mere furs separating their naked bodies.

She heard and felt his tense silence before a snarl escaped the throat of the half-demon behind her and then Shayl let out a gasp as she felt him roll over, his left arm wrapping about her waist as he pulled her against him, lazily allowing a wing to blanket her form. Illidan tossed his own leg now across hers, effectively trapping her against him. And as much as he would deny it, Illidan enjoyed having this woman pressed against him. Her spitfire nature, combined with such a sensuous body and innocent demeanor had an awkward effect of driving him insane. He buried his face in her thick mane of hair, nose inhaling the delicious, fresh scent of herbs, and the pair wrapped up in that poignant silence which throbbed with emotions only half-dared to be heard and feelings only faintly felt, fell asleep, Shayl feeling far safer in his embrace then she had ever felt sleeping at his side on the floor.

The night passed swiftly then, the wheeling stars chasing the fading darkness of night. Slowly, the sun arose from her slumber, a beautiful dawn shimmering over the cerulean waters of the ocean. Rippling streams of molten gold were sliced by lines of scintillating green, blue and red where the naga slept, easily floating on the surface and sleeping within the watery depths below. The ships began to move again and Vashj returned from her watery bedding to the ship, lifting herself up easily with all four powerful arms. Kael nodded to her as she nodded back before they both glanced over towards their master's cabin. Illidan had yet to appear, but Kael suspected he was firmly and deeply buried in a fight with the druid healer.

In the warm darkness of the cabin, Illidan stirred and awoke first. He was groggy for a moment, feeling something warm and soft pressed to him. The scent of the druid pressed against him, thick herbs, rich earth and something quietly feminine returned his memories from the night. He had restored Shayl to herself, but the how of it was beyond him. The power he had felt leap into her form, though, when he had begged Elune to restore her to him had been massive. Illidan was almost half-tempted to shake the druid and demand that she tell him where those great powers came from. Yet, some quieter instinct of the sorcerer told him that the girl herself wouldn't know. She didn't even know of the full extent of her own powers. He shifted his horned head at last, looking down at the woman he was holding against his chest, cradling her tenderly within his embrace.

During the night, Shayl had rolled over, pressing her cheek to his chest. Illidan, in his sleep, had wrapped his arms around her, the two finding their rest that night far better then it had been in a very long time. His powerful fingers were wrapped in the thick mane of her hair and Illidan marveled quietly to himself at the softness of the thick strands. One sharp nail slowly touched the unusually colored hair she bore. The roots were a deep emerald green, the color of summer leaves at night. Slowly, the coloration grew lighter until the tips of the long mane showed the brightest green, a beautiful spring green, sunlight shining through the leaves green, or so Illidan thought. The ridged surface of his nail stroked across her cheek and slowly, it ran along her neck, running lower and lower. The pad of one finger stroked her collarbone before he followed it to the hollow of her throat, allowing the nail to lightly scratch at last in the valley between her breasts.

Then, clenching his hand, Illidan slowly extricated himself from the bed, covering the girl with the fur he had been laying underneath. A glance was directed down at his body before an explosively vile oath passed Illidan's lips. Undeniable proof that he found the druid physically attractive was shown through his traitorous body. Turning away from her, Illidan passed his hand over his lower stomach, stopping short of touching himself. Then, another vicious snarl of words ruptured the nail and he dragged his own claws over his chest, gouging at the healing wound that had nearly killed him. The pain made his growing arousal go limp and he threw his head back with a scream of pained anger and want. Jerking on his pants, he exited the cabin just as Shayl finished jerking awake from the scream and turning to face him. Or, at least, his back.

Shayl shook her head once, strands of hair flaying her skin gently before tucking her forehead into her palm, a yawn escaping her. Her brows furrowed at last and she lifted her head from its spot at being cradled in her hand, shifting to get out of the bed. Illidan was gone and she frowned even more, before sliding out from beneath the furs at last. A shiver as the cool air of the cabin brushed across her bare form and she inhaled deeply, pausing at the almost overpowering aroma of Illidan's scent. Sweat, power, leather, steel; all swirled in the air in an intoxicating combination. Another shake of her head before the girl tottered to her small chest and removed one of the tunics not made out of a fur that she had been given by one of the priests. Smoothing the soft fabric down over her form, Shayl finally stood and looked over as the door opened and Kael stepped into the room. Silence was held between the two of them before Shayl finally spoke up, voice soft and pleasant.

"Hello, Kael. I'm finally awake. Let me guess.. he's up on deck."

"Yes, he is. He sent me to see if you were awake for he wishes that you resume your duties yet again."

Silence touched Shayl for a moment and then she finally nodded and followed the prince of the Sin'Dorei out of the cabin. Her face turned upwards to the sunlight as she emerged from the darkness of the cabin, letting its warmth spill across her body. Being led to stand beside the large half-breed, Shayl stepped closer, feeling Illidan's gaze on her. Prickles caused the hairs upon her body to stand on end for no apparent reason other then that simple gaze. Fingers would lift, placing themselves on his chest. Tension was palpable between them now and then Shayl gasped upon feeling the gashes he'd placed upon himself in savage denial over his body's reaction to her proximity to him. Illidan tensed yet even more as he felt his body stirring. With a snarl as he didn't want Vashj and Kael to notice, he grabbed Shayl by one of her wrists and dragged her back to the cabin, leaving his lieutenants to raise their eyebrows at each other now.

Shayl just followed along behind the sorcerer, wincing at the tight grip he had on her wrist, but simply listened as the door was slammed shut. Removing her wrist, at last, from Illidan's grip, the druid listened as the mattress creaked beneath the weight of the hybrid. Walking over to him, the druid slowly and carefully began to remove the bloody, shredded bandages that wrapped about Illidan's torso, his hands having left the fluttering strips tattered and frayed. Turning away from him, Shayl carried the remains of the bandages over to the trash where they were placed. Heading over to the bathing area, she gathered up a washcloth from the basin of water set in its cradle and lifted that as well from its spot before going to sit beside him on the bed. No words escaped her as the druid gently bathed the area with the cloth, removing the blood. Her hands then placed themselves upon the wounds and her head bowed forward slightly as warmth infused Illidan's body, the wounds closing with ease. The sorcerer noted that despite the fact she used a healing spell, her hands and forearms hadn't become their customary green coloration like they usually did when she worked on sealing his chest wound, the blemish of corruption in his otherwise healthy body.

Finally, the wounds were sealed shut with nary a trace left that they had even been there to start with. Shayl then turned her attention to the ugly gash of blue-black coloration that still marched across Illidan's body, stretching from left shoulder to right hip. Most of it had been sealed shut, the scar tissue slowly vanishing as Shayl persisted in her healing, but about a third of the wound still remained open. The druid let her slender fingers stroke over the open portion of the wound before the pads of slender digits touched the wound and Illidan drew in a snarling breath as pain wracked his body, effectively removing any and all hints of enjoyment at the girl's close proximity to him. Shayl's healing touch lasted several seconds longer then it normally did before she finally fell against him, drained and weak of her power. Illidan instinctively wrapped his arm around her before he turned and shoved her onto the mattress, growling out a word.

"Sleep. And do not argue!"

Too tired to even protest, Shayl passed out; that sweet, young, utterly innocent druid unaware of the danger she had been in. Illidan stood over her, his hands curling into tight fists before he turned and left the cabin, locking it against himself. Going to one of his priests, he had his chest wrapped again, the stark white of the bandages glimmering against his dark skin. At last, the ugly marking was covered again and Illidan spread his wings, flexing the stiff appendages before going to find Kael. He felt mildly dizzy, but simply brushed it away, knowing that the druid would likely be yelling at him later for "jumping around" out of bed. But she had seen he was able to walk around for the wound did not hinder him so horribly any longer. Illidan's thoughts were turned inwards, now. His attraction to the druid, physical as it only was, worried the sorcerer. She was dangerous to him because of that and he chalked up said attraction merely to the fact that he had not had any sort of physical relations with someone in a long while. And if one brought up the issue of Maiev's relations with him, he would kill them. Settling into a brooding state of mind, the half-breed kept a sharp eye on his people as the ships continued along, drawing closer and closer to the northern shores of Lordaeron where they would disembark only to continue on through a portal he would make to Outland.

Kael kept his eye upon his master, aware of Illidan's change in his state of mind. Word had already spread through the ships that his druid had awakened and Kael was unsure of how to ask Illidan about how he had accomplished that feat. So, in lieu of having his head removed or an ear chewed off verbally, the prince simply watched silently as the older elf, well, half-elf now, went about the deck, snarling and muttering quietly to himself. And then, as the sun was setting, Shayl emerged from her slumber and appeared upon the deck. With his intense scrutiny attached to his master, Kael saw Illidan halt and turn in Shayl's direction. The look on the hybrid's face could only have been described as frustrated longing, or so Kael thought. Shayl seemed unaware of the attention as she made her way to the railing. Kael took the opportunity to follow her over there and came to a halt beside the larger elf woman, looking up at her profile briefly before turning his face back to the bronzed sea surface, gold and red dappling a beautiful pattern across the waters. Then, at last, Shayl spoke.

"Where are we going, Kael, and for what purpose?"

The blond man hesitated, gathering his thoughts before he finally decided to answer. His master, obviously, had decided not to inform the woman of their current destination and he thought that it would be better if Shayl was prepared for what was to come, rather then reach the outskirts of their goal and find she would not cooperate with them.

"We are returning to Illidan's stronghold in Outland."

Poignant silence fell over Shayl, blind pools of shimmering golden coloration growing wide at the implication of the words. Outland; the world sent chills prickling down Shayl's spine, causing the hairs on her form to stand upon end. A world she had never seen, but had learned of thanks to the wagging tongues of the soldiers following Illidan. She had even spoken to Kael about it before, when their voyage had first started. He had told her of the blasted, ruined word of the orcs, how they had come from the barren wastelands. Their fortress, the Black Temple, was kept in an arid wasteland known as the Black Temple. It took effort to cultivate food and an existence there, but they had carved their niche in the world and would fight to keep it. At last, pale lavender slips of skin snapped shut over the molten amber gleam of those blind eyes and Shayl inhaled before speaking up softly, unaware of the silent prowling of Illidan behind her as he decided to make himself known.

"Is such a thing necessary? I could finish healing Illidan elsewhere. To go to Outland might only aggravate his wound. And I would not belong in such a place."

A growl of sound had them both turning as Illidan now towered over Shayl, glowing gleam of amber smoke bright in the encroaching darkness. One clawed hand grabbed the woman by her shoulder, a firm, rough grasp that Kael noted with interest. He was no reader of body language, but he could feel the thickening tension between the pair. Mute notes stretched through the air, growing and twisting, the silence in of itself deafening until the druid was ready to scream about it. Then, with a snarl of sound, Illidan spoke.

"Yes, such a thing is necessary. You are going to become my healer for good, girl. None of my priests were able to treat this wound at all. You, and you alone, have been the only one able to do even a remote change to the malevolent mark that still runs across my chest. You are an incompetent healer, but a skilled one for your level of talent. This is not an argument or debate. Like it, or not, you are going to have to remain my healer, unless of course I get tired of you."

Shayl bristled openly at the man's high-handed words. Who did he think he was, telling her that she had no control over her life anymore?! Men like this, arrogant pigs of men, full and haughty of their own nature, believing that whomever they dared to order around would follow their words like they fell from the lips of the gods themselves? Her hand came up, slapping his away and she dared to step closer, hands on her hips now as she seemed to get bigger.

"Get tired of me?! I don't even WANT to go with you! Your men kidnapped me from my home, took me to Northrend of all places to heal you and while I have my obligation to follow you until you are fully healed, I do plan to go home when my job is finished! Do you hear m-"

She was silenced by a heavy blow of Illidan's hand, causing Shayl to fall back with a cry of pain against the railing. Kael shifted as if he would help her but the prince remained in place. This was not his quarrel. Illidan heaved out harsh breathes, sides rising and falling as billowing gouts of sound came from the man, snorts of rage erupting from his nostrils. His hand fell from its spot in the air, nails gouging out ribbons of flesh from the palms of his hands before the sorcerer spoke, voice a deep snarl of black fury.

"I _said _that it was not open for argument or debate. You belong to me, girl. Get used to it!"

With that, Illidan turned and stomped off, leaving Shayl to get up, rubbing her cheek as she glared after him. Somehow, despite the ship not being very large, the two of them managed to avoid each other as much as possible. If the druid tried to vacate her spot between Illidan and the wall, however, when they slept at night, he would roll onto her, pinning Shayl down with his own bodily weight. He was not going to risk her leaving and possibly running away for good. A week passed, and then two. At last, land was sighted and while some spirits lifted, others frowned for they were finally drawing upon the shores of Lordaeron. They would disembark, burn the ships and then travel through a rift to Outland, courtesy of Illidan. The blood elves of all people knew that the forces of the Undead had overrun the lands, so this would have to be a fast, clean, precise manner.

Hulls scraped across the sand and a flurry of activity erupted. Items were removed from the cargo holds, spell breakers patrolling the tight, small perimeter, their glossy, feathered helms of red marking their position as gold trimmed the crimson color thanks to the afternoon sun. At last, Kael and a few of his sorceresses set the ships alight, thick black smoke curling upwards. At last, Illidan turned and began to chant in fel tones, hands weaving a symbol quickly before he opened up a circular portal. Shayl stood at his side, fighting the feeling of the arcane magicks that were anathema to her natural ways. At last, all but Illidan and she remained, Kael and Vashj vanishing through the portal. Taking her by the arm, the sorcerer leapt for the circle of magic, just as a company of ghouls erupted from the brittle sticks of dead foliage. The power snapped shut behind them, slicing a ghoul in half.

Shayl found herself disoriented and then her head lifted, feeling Illidan sway at her side. Then, a cry erupted from her lips as the massive half-breed slowly collapsed like a slow-moving avalanche. Ire and umbrage at the man forgotten in face of his collapse, she turned her attention to him, letting out a sigh of relief as she found he had fallen unconscious thanks only to a lack of energy. Then, Kael came over and spoke, his words hard and biting.

"Welcome to Outland."

* * *

Mwah! Wow, I finally got finished with the latest chapter! I want to thank all of you folks who have been sticking with me and encouraging me to continue this story! Sorry this chapter took so long to get up! Like I said up top, leave ten reviews for the next chapter to be posted, would ya:D 


	8. Outland

**Gravitation  
Arcadia-Sama  
Summary**- Never mind. You'll see.  
**Disclaimer**- Only Shayl is copyright me. I own nothing about WarCraft. Though I do wish I did own Arthas and Illidan. x3 Anyways! On with the story!  
**Suggested BGM** – _"Iris" – **Goo Goo Dolls**_

_"You're insane!" – _Maiev

_"Isolation can do that to the mind." – _Illidan

And thank you guys, for the reviews!

**Talayeh** - Hahahaha! XD Awesome chapter? This one? Awwww, not really. It's just.. there! X3 And I've prolly watched the cinematic like.. a hundred times by now. Illidan over and over and over and.. Yeah, you get the idea.

**Flamescythe** - He more of prayed to her just because he didn't know what else to do, really. Besides, he still believes in her. Slightly. In my fic, at least. I'm the author, after all. : And I did try writing it at least partially from Kael's viewpoint. That.. well, it failed. Miserably so. xD I'm just a solid third-person omniscient writer.

**BahamutEpyon** - Well, here you are then! Sorry about it taking so long!

**FLECHER -** - Oh. Well, in that case, you're let off the hook. As for why he wants to keep her… It's for the reasons he said. None of his priests were able to heal him to the point that Shayl is able to and she's good at it too. And he's being cruel to her so as to try denying that worming thing to himself. XD But as I said to Nixsend in chapter six, he will and does admit that he is/has developed feelings for the druid in this chapter. It just.. takes a while.

**Warcraftfan** - Well, thank you very much.

**Justanotherreader** - Amazing, eh? Well, thank you very much! I'm trying to make it good.

**Sora** - Hahaha! (smiles) Well, here you are, hun.

**Superelfie** - You must not have played Frozen Throne, have you? At the very end of the game, Arthas and Illidan fight, with Arthas defeating Illidan very soundly. That's what inspired this whole story (and Shayl herself) when I finished the game. As for Shayl, she has the ability to "see", so to speak, in the sense that her senses are very acute. After all, when you loose one sense, your others are sharpened, right? And with her being as strong a druid as she is (which you guys will have to wait to see), her ability to sense and feel things is quite stronger then one would normally expect.

**Jacenguy** - Heh! Well, here's more! And thanks! I try. xD It's my readers that keep me going!

**DT Maxell** - Of course they are! This IS Illidan and Shayl here; both of them are ready to butt heads. Now, if only they were butting other things instead.. (yelps as she gets smacked by both Illidan and Shayl for that)

**SemiSane** - Haha, thanks! 3 Much love to you! And like I told Superelfie, Shayl has very acute senses, not to mention to all of you wonderful readers that she's been living with her blindness for about oh, five, six thousand years (Shayl refuses to tell me her true age), so she's had time to cope with it. Also, seeing as how she's a kaldorei, her senses are far better then a human's. xD So, if she seems to not be blind, don't worry about it TOO much. Just smack me if you guys need to!

**Razalla** - Oh my! Well, thank you very much, my dear! Anticipation is a good thing. Yes, a very good thing indeed.

**Anonymous** - Complex, eh? Well, thanks quite a bit! I never expected to hear this about one of my stories! And the tension is just one of the more fun parts to write about this story, I say! Provides free entertainment for all.

**Kurt** - (chuckles) Yep. He would indeed like to put his mouth someplace else indeed.

**Illidan**- (kills Arc)

**Arc**- Sorry son of a… (dead, haunts Illidan until he revives her)

**AkashaDarkRiddle** - Yes, I do indeed play WoW. For anyone who wants to bother me, my character is named Shayl (of course) and I play on the Eitrigg server. And well, thanks for the enthusiastic review, my dear. X3

**Anon** - Haha, yes, I know that. But my muses don't always work with me, my dear. Writer's block is evil! EVIL, I TELL YOU! (shakes her fist at the evil thing)

**Felhunter** - Yes, it is cute (and I promise that there will be more cuteness in this chapter), but don't let Illidan hear you say that. He gets all frustrated whenever I tease him about it and threatens to take my head off. You, I dunno what he'd do with. As for Kael.. I don't know what what he's up to. xD If anything. I'm open to suggestions, however!

**Anon** - Haha! Thanks! I thought it was hilarious, Illy just grabbing Shayl and hauling her off like that. xD

**ALF** - (grins evilly) Well, there has to be tension between the two of them. After all, gotta build up the suspense for when Illidan finally jumps Shayl. And we all know he's gonna be the one who snaps first.

**Ecchi-Baka-Kon** - Haha. Gracias, gracias. ) All you reviewers are wonderful and it's because of you guys that I keep going!

**Athenaea** - Well, thank you for the comment on character development! I'm honestly trying to keep Shayl from becoming a cliché and I think I'm doing pretty good at it. (bows)

**Alhana** - Babies, what?

**Ryu-sama** – Hate and lust.. (muses) Never really thought of it that way, but yes, if you people haven't figured it out (thanks to the last chapter), Illidan is certainly lusting after Shayl, quite a bit to be honest. :) As for her bossing him around.. (looks amused) That happens quite a bit. After all, someone needs to keep him in line.

**Bansheebomb** - Hee. Well, here's chapter eight:)

**Neith** - I would NEVER be so cruel as to leave all of you people hanging! I just tease. X3

**She-Ninja** - Wow! An Illidan fangirl likes Shayl! I am impressed, then! (smiles) And don't worry, she's going to get back at him very soon for the hit. Maybe not physically like he struck her, but then, we women have our ways, don't we ladies? (winks)

_Author Notes_ - Oh, one other thing. Words like _this _are in Darnassian and words like **_this _**are in the language of Sindassi, which is the language of the Sin'Dorei, who are the blood elves. And then stuff like **_– this –_** is memories. We all clear? Good. :3

**Warning!** Hints of naughtiness here. Between Shayl and Illidan, of course! (cackles)

**Shayl**- (growing quite pale now) Oh dear goddess. (hides behind Illidan's wings)

**Illidan**- (twitches, hides Shayl away) I'm going to kill you. (glares at Arc)

**Arc**- No, you won't. I'm the author. I have the power. Mwahahahahaha! Now, if you'll excuse me, I have to go talk to Magnus about working for Tzeentch.

**Illidan**- Bless you.

**Arc**- …. (smacks Illidan, HARD) And the first person who gets what game/series I just referenced, you get a free cameo in the story. Prolly a short one, but you get one!

Now, on with the show :D

* * *

The crash of metal on metal awoke Shayl who jerked her head out from beneath the thin, warm blankets and sheets that covered her. Slowly, with a wide yawn that exposed her prominent canine teeth to view, the druid sat up in bed. Thick locks of mussed emerald cascaded over her face and the girl scrubbed at her face with her hands, a daily ritual that never failed to cease, unless she was drifting out of her body for a time. Rising from the bed, Shayl reached out and secured the tunic she wore when not sleeping, puling it on over her head. Smoothing the wrinkles out of it with her hands, the slender druid finished gathering her garments and clothed herself silently, fingers used to long years of experience of dressing her body without her seeing exactly what it was she was wearing.

At last, drifting to the window while gathering her hair into a long tail with one hand, the other pulling a long leather strip off the desk set by the bed, Shayl came to a halt and bowed her head, blind eyes focusing on the large courtyard set below the window. Where her eyes failed, shrouding the world in darkness, the woman's ears were sharp and keen, telling her what she wanted to know, as did her nose. A strong breeze was sweeping the air, bringing the scents of sweat and steel to her nose, the woman having been forced to get used to both smells ever since her abduction. Finishing with the haphazard tie she placed in her hair, leaving the thick tail of green strands to spill down over her spine, the kaldorei leaned forward, setting her hands on the sill of the window and listened.

Yes.

_He_ was there.

Illidan.

It had been a month or so since they had passed from the very shores of the Eastern Kingdoms into Outland and he had progressed into a healthier state, thanks to Shayl's diligent attentions that had only recently begun to allow the sorcerer more strenuous activities; such as whipping the butts of all the spellbreakers in the courtyard, along with quite a few of the naga warriors. Myrdions, she thought they were called. Something like that, an obscure term that she had heard only once. But with his forced complacency, only at the vehement insistence of the druid, Illidan had finally, grudgingly listened to her, especially when he first tried to spar with his forces again and had ripped the wound on his chest open again partially. When that had happened, it had gotten that stubborn man to listen to her, if only for a time. As soon as she had declared he was healthy enough for more strenuous physical arts, however, he had gone wild with glee, or so it had seemed to her. As she listened, Shayl dipped her head forward, listening to his words.

"Come now," Illidan cried as he swept one hand possessed of a war-glaive out to his right side, turning his great horned head from right to left, seeking out challengers. "Don't tell me that you have all given up already."

Oh yes, he was quite alright. Shayl had a suspicion that her use would soon be coming to an end, thanks to Illidan's increasing health and his own desire to puff up and strut now that he was doing much better. Turning away from the window, feeling his blindfolded gaze turning up towards her, the druid left the master bedroom of the castle and made her way into the hall. Keeping one hand on the wall, simply to help orient herself for Shayl still had yet to memorize the layout of the Black Temple. She began making her way down towards the courtyard, using her hearing to guide her along the way. Feeling the air suddenly warm from the cool interior of the hallway to one of the smaller courtyards where the druid had begun to slowly make her mark upon the Temple.

Heading to the corner which she had claimed for her own, knowing the path thanks to the sheer smell of freshly tilled soil in the air, Shayl slowly knelt, fingers reaching out to dig into the dusty, sandy dirt which she'd been working on. The druid felt life stirring in the soil she was tending to so diligently. Even as she began once again to spread her own life-giving magicks over the thirsty red soil, her mind turned back to when she had first entered this world…

_**- Outland.**_

_**The word sent a chill radiating down Shayl's spine as she remained on her knees by Illidan's prone form, hands resting on the unconscious sorcerer. The collapse rewound itself in her mind. She had noticed him stumble at first, Illidan spouting out a murmur of sound, before he'd taken another step and then a third. It was like trying to stop a slow-moving avalanche. Shayl had been the first to jump forward, her hands stretching out to the prone figure of the sorcerer upon the ground, uncontrollable concern flooding Shayl's entire being. Why was she so worried about him? That was something that she could not explain, even to herself. Then, she heard the naga and blood elves moving to help her, a litter being quickly bound to support Illidan's size and weight. Shayl helped them place the sorcerer upon the litter before the druid turned her attention to her surroundings, feeling them the best that she could with her blind eyes.**_

_**Rising to her feet, a stinging whiplash of sand licked over Shayl's body, tiny granules of the dusty red sand seeming to attack her, as if the very land itself was rejecting her. Shayl herself felt sick in this place, saturated as it was by the arcane magicks. Giving her green-maned head a shake, the girl swallowed and looked down at Illidan as she marched beside the litter he was upon, the group beginning to move. Foolish man! He had suffered trying to save them from the ghouls, making sure that his people were gone through the portal safely first before traveling through himself. One hand lifted to her upper arm, rubbing the bruising flesh that was result of his powerful grip.**_

_**It was a mostly silent trip, broken only by the scraping of the litter across the ground as the posse took breaks, always careful not to jostle their master too much. The druid found herself sitting at his sides, one hand reaching out to curl about his much larger fingers. Idly, the girl took this time to splay her hand against his, finding that Illidan's grasp was twice her own, his fingers easily twice the thickness of hers. But then, he was such a large man, breaking the nine foot mark and that wasn't including his horns either! Idly, her right hand remained curled with his left while her own left hand drifted to brush gently across his forehead, concern knitting those long eyebrows of green coloration together. Why she was so concerned, Shayl wasn't sure. But she merely passed it off as being his healer and having to get involved with the stubborn man so much. **_

_Maybe you're starting to care for him, **a voice whispered in the back of her mind, a small, niggling voice that Shayl had heard before on occasion. Her conscience, it seemed, was trying to get her to admit something that she wasn't willing to admit.**_

_I do not like the man! He is crude and arrogantly high-handed and believes he can control me. **A severe retort to the voice, Shayl running her fingers across Illidan's knuckles as she replied. **Not to mention the fact that I am a "kaldorei" and a druid to boot. He can't stand me._

_Oh, sure, that's what he _wants_ you to think, **came the amused comeback. **But you never know. He certainly seems to hate it when you got out of the bed early while you were on the ship. And admit it. You enjoyed being so close to him. You liked how it felt being snuggled up to him, not to mention the ideas you got when you've been forced to give him a sponge bath!_

**_Those smooth cheeks slowly turning black, Shayl gave her head a fierce shake. So what if she _did_ enjoy how her body felt when it was pressed up against Illidan's? Idly, the girl made notice of his fingers. Long, powerful things they were, nimble and dexterous, vital parts of being a sorcerer. But his body was hard and strong, something that was entirely opposite of Illidan's chosen profession. Oh, true, she knew the man preferred sorcery over melee attacks, yet when pressed into such fights that magic was no longer useful in close quarters, he was quite good at fighting hand-to-hand. Or, at least, that was what Shayl believed. _**

_**With a sigh, she curled her fingers more tightly around Illidan's hand, useless eyes snapping shut tightly before her left hand drifted down to his chest. Fingers would splay over the wound and once more, the green glow infused her touch, spreading over both hands and across Illidan's wound. Pouring herself into the powerful healing technique that was neither druidic nor arcane magick, but something more, Shayl finally ceased when the flood of power slipped away, leaving her to slump bonelessly onto the ground, head coming to rest on Illidan's shoulder.**_

_**Kael was watching from nearby, as was Vashj. Despite the trustworthy nature of the girl, neither of them could truly forget what she was. She was a kaldorei, one of those wretched night elves that had driven them into the blackness long, long ago until they had become what they now were. His metal-clad fingers curled, the talons of Kael's gauntlet tapping quietly against his steel-shod palm. Finally, seeing as how the main of the force was tired from their hard travel that had been rather pressing for the last few hours, Kael consented to give everyone an hour in which to rest. Already, the druid was asleep, her smaller form curled into Illidan's larger figure. The sun moved through the dust-hazed sky slowly and Kael finally began to rouse the posse. Slowly, the prince of the Sin'Dorei began to approach the druid. Kneeling beside her, Kael reached out slowly, his hand finally coming in contact with Shayl's shoulder as he began to shake her gently in order to wake her up.**_

_**He never saw Illidan's fist coming.**_

**_Being thrown to the ground by the blow given to his head, a glancing blow but a strong one nevertheless, Kael gagged as Illidan's hand closed about his throat, the prince staring up at his liege lord while the markings on Illidan's body flared a deep green, those twin smoky flames burned behind the ragged strip of dark cloth that wrapped his head. This was not his master! Well, it was Illidan, no doubt about that. Just a very angry Illidan who looked ready to murder him. Shayl, having been rudely awakened by her pillow's lunge for Kael, hear Kael's gargling breath and let out a cry, scrambling in what seemed the right direction, Vashj finally reacting to come over. Yet, even with all four of her arms being put to work, the naga's great strength couldn't remove the sorcerer's hand from Kael's throat._**

_**"Illidan, stop it, let go! Please! You're killing him!"**_

_**Shayl's words echoed through the camp as all watched with stunned amazement as the half-breed seemed to pause before a low growl escaped Illidan's throat and his fingers released their grasp upon Kael. Then, a very surprised Shayl found herself yanked into the half-demon's arms, the man snarling while his large wings were curled around her form, all but hiding her from view. His fingers were set about her waist and the half-breed of night elf and demon combination found himself marveling at how tiny and perfect it was. Slowly, his hands slid down further where her waist flared out into beautifully wide hips. Those were hips built for childbirth, oh yes. Gradually, those self-same digits began to inch upwards as another warning growl escaped the man's throat.**_

_**"Do not touch her," came Illidan's sibilant hiss of words. **_

_**Glances were exchanged and then Shayl slapped her way out of his arms, going to check on Kael, cool fingers laid on the prince's throat, a simple healing spell helping to reduce the swelling and bruising, the druid's blind eyes closing while long green lashes fanned across her cheeks in a delicate semi-circle of curling emerald coloration. Lips pursing, she finally allowed her eyes to open and then the young druid peered down at Kael with a smile while behind them, Illidan seemed to awaken from whatever trance or mood that had taken hold of him with that rude awakening from the prince and his own reaction to it. **_

**_What was going on? Why was he getting so inanely possessive of the girl? She was nothing much, only a mere druid. But what a skilled and wondrous druid she was, able to perform healing techniques far beyond that of even his brother at times. And Malfurion was the Arch-Druid, leader of them all, save for this woman here. She was his, had been his since his men had brought her to him. She was marked as his physically when he bit her, marking her for his own. Head tilted forward slightly, his tongue emerging from his mouth to wet his lips slightly, remembering the rich taste of the magic that had flowed from the druid. It had been utterly.. completely.. delicious. Letting out a lusty sigh, Illidan frowned yet again. True, he enjoyed prodding at the woman verbally, enjoyed watching her flare up, her wit startling him from time to time with such sharp responses. But that was no grounds for attraction, was it? No, surely not. But Illidan knew he was just starting to fool himself._**

_**He.. liked her.**_

_**And it scared the hell out of him.**_

**_As it was, what had happened _did _make the rest of the trip more interesting. Neither Illidan nor Shayl would go within five feet of one another, but it was rather amusing to see their lord following the druid all over the encampment. At a distance of course. The master would never admit to following her on purpose, but as it was, they were soon packing up and resuming the harsh pace set by Illidan to return to the Black Temple. Shayl's long legs chewed the miles up, the kaldorei druid simply following Kael's smooth voice as he explained to her about how they had come to take over this new, strange world. The barrenness of the land made her nauseous, but only just enough to bother the druid. She had never been in a land so desolate before, in a place where the world itself was almost entirely stripped of life. But she managed to retain a hold on her stomach until they reached the Black Temple. _**

_**It was there that Shayl collapsed, the foul corruption of the demonic energy filling the Temple assaulting the unprepared girl.**_

**_Such a simple thing it had been. Shayl had taken one, two, three steps into the main courtyard before pausing and shuddering once in a slow manner; then, without warning, she'd crumpled on the spot. Kael had let out a cry and leapt towards her, but two strong arms swooped beneath the druid's faltering figure and the prince stared up at his master while Illidan scowled at him. The Sin'Dorei liege frowned back and then nodded before starting to order his people about, sending them to recuperate and rest up. He had grown mildly fond of Shayl during the long journey out of Northrend, across the sea to the Portal and then to here. But Kael knew better then to try helping her at the moment. _**

_**Later, he learned that Illidan had placed the girl in his chambers.**_

**_And she'd been there ever since. Even after she had woken up and demanded her own chambers, Illidan had refused to allow her to leave the same room that he shared with her. It had been a vicious fight between the two, their argument screaming all over the Temple until even Kael had been ready to interfere. But something that one of them said ceased the fight and Shayl had let go of the argument, willingly staying in the master chambers now. Illidan rarely visited them and she rarely left them. Except when need be, like today… -_**

Shayl paused and then wiped a dusty hand across her forehead, leaving a smear of red dust behind as she smiled proudly down at the tilled soil. The sun had burned her skin gently, making her normally pale periwinkle coloration a darker purple shade along her arms and face, as well as on the back of her neck for the druid had bound her hair up before starting on her work. As for the sun itself, several hours had passed since she began to work out in the corner of the small courtyard, the woman coaxing life back into the soil. Indeed, she'd already begun to plant several things and was using her powers to help coaxing them into taking root and growing. Slowly, she rose from her hunched posture, sore, cramped muscles sending pangs of relief through her body as they finally flexed and she rubbed her hands over her face again, feeling the sore skin. Then, a low coughing growl from the entrance to the courtyard made her turn, facing the hybrid as Illidan stepped into the mostly shadowy area.

"So, this is where you have been hiding all day long. At least it means that you're staying out of my way," Illidan muttered, his musing words set in a low pitch before his large hand was held out to her. "Come with me. I desire your healing skills. I can tell my wound is almost healed and the sooner it's done and over with, the better."

Knowing better then to argue, Shayl slowly placed her hand in his large grasp. As soon as their fingers touched, Illidan then proceeded to haul her off to the master chambers, the room that the two of them shared. Once in there, the druid washed her hands and face off, hearing the man pacing behind her, his hooves clicking exactly twenty times from left to right before she turned to face him, wiping her face off gently on a towel before speaking up.

"Please, sit down."

As soon as she heard the bed creak, Shayl sat down beside Illidan. Extending her hands, she placed them upon the wound that was already almost gone, or so she at least hoped. Then, the green flare of energy swelled up over her forearms, the woman pouring her healing powers into Illidan's body until she could sustain the effort no longer. As the druid slumped, Illidan caught her in his arms gently, pulling the worn druid into his lap as he began to stroke her hair. It was odd, he mused to himself. As soon as he admitted to himself that he was growing fond of her, it seemed to have unlocked several new sensations in his mind and body, as well as seeming to lift a weight off of his chest. The greatest evidence of all had been when he'd reflected on Tyrande only this morning and not even felt a pang.

Shayl shifted against Illidan, feeling herself caught in a drowsy state of mind. His fingers kept running through her hair which he'd pulled out of its tied-up bun without a second thought, relaxing the druid. Nuzzling her face against his chest, the kaldorei sighed as his fingers moved from her hair to gently running beneath her chin, as if she were a cat. And yes, while she did act like one at times, this was decidedly pleasurable. Lifting her chin in accordance with the stroking to the underside of it, a low purr of delight escaped the druid's throat. She felt the hybrid shift idly before her face was gently tilted even further upwards and then his warm breath washed over her mouth just before his lips closed upon hers. Shayl jumped in surprised shock, stunned at this sudden turn of events before his lips tightened even more upon hers and then she felt his tongue gently run over the crease between her lips.

He'd wanted to kiss her. Yes, he had. Illidan was able to admit that to himself as he held the druid close, his wings shifting to wrap about her while he held her face in one hand, his other arm wrapping over one of Shayl's hips. Slowly, he felt her hands starting to creep upwards as she oh so hesitantly began to accept his kiss, enflaming his blood even more. It had been the smell of her hair that had ignited the urge to kiss her, Illidan decided. He hadn't meant for the kiss to happen or for this to still be going on, but it was a pleasant enough distraction and he found he liked kissing her and having her kiss him back. With a growl, the hybrid's tongue forced its way into Shayl's mouth, his right hand dropping away from her cheek to curl around her waist, the druid pressing against him as she kissed back with an innocent eagerness that made him want to roll her onto her back and strip that innocence away. And when Shayl made a sound in the back of her throat that Illidan could _only _call a whimper and she wriggled against him, his lust flared into life.

Shayl felt his hands move, his fingers sliding over the smooth fur of her tunic before his hand shifted and she inhaled sharply, pressing her breast into his hand as he cupped it, the heat of Illidan's skin being felt easily through the thin material. He pulled her against him, adjusting her position roughly until Shayl was straddling his waist with her legs, thighs clasping his body above his hips with ease. This brought their groins in close contact with one another and Illidan's other hand slid beneath the hem of her skirt, sliding to cup the right plump roundness of her buttock in his palm, squeezing it idly as Shayl jumped and gasped before gasping again. That jump had brought her body directly in contact with his arousal, the fabric of Illidan's pants tenting, showing his strong physical attraction for her.

"You're mine, druid. There's no turning back now.." Illidan rasped to her.

But, just as he was about to grab her and roll over onto the bed, there came a thunderous knock upon the door. Shayl jumped with fright, falling out of Illidan's lap and his reach with a yelp before she turned over onto her hands and knees and scurried to sit before the fireplace just as Kael and Vashj entered the room, both looking quite grim.

"What is the meaning for this intrusion?!" Illidan roared, quite incensed at them. But what they said next made all the lust drain from his body.

"We have a prisoner, my lord. The Warden, Lady Maiev. She's demanding to see you."

* * *

Finally! This chapter is done and up! Sorry it took so long everyone. Writer's block hit me hard. But here's the latest chapter, you lovely patient people you. Take many luffs. And one question. If I was to write a Riddick fanfic, would you folks read it?

Anyways, leave a review!


	9. Maiev

**Gravitation  
Arcadia-Sama  
Summary**- Never mind. You'll see.  
**Disclaimer**- Only Shayl is copyright me. I own nothing about WarCraft. Though I do wish I did own Arthas and Illidan. x3 Anyways! On with the story!  
**Suggested BGM** – _"Pain" – __**Three Days Grace**_

_"I am the Hand of Justice, Illidan. Long ago, I swore an oath to keep you chained... and by all the Gods - I shall!" - _**Maiev**

And thank you guys, for the reviews!

**Skuld's Sentaro 6** - Well, here's the update:3

**Kikuta** - Yes, he does deserve hugs. Usually. Mostly. Sometimes. (chuckles)

**Akasha of Argent Dawn** - Awesome! Then I'll have to write my Riddick story out then so you read it! 3 And thanks!

**ALF** - I'll tell you this much. Shayl's definitely gonna be quite mad at the end of this chapter.

**Neith** - Twisting things up is putting it quite mildly. But trust me when I say that chaos can be a good thing sometimes.

**Ryu-Sama** - Eeeee! Thanks for the review anyways, Pengu-chan! 3

**Alhana** - Ah, my apologies. Your torment shall end soon, my dear!

**FLECHER -** - Oh, just wait. You shall see. Oh yes, you shall see. (evil laughter)

**Talayeh** - Okay, okay! XD No Riddick until I'm done with Gravitation. (Or close to it.)

**She-Ninja** - Of course he's better. He has horns. Riddick doesn't.

**SemiSane** - Cookie! (eats with glee and wags her tail) Here's another update! Cookie? (looks hopeful)

**Scorpinette** - Aye, aye, Scorp! 3 Warhammer 40K to be exact. Mwahahaha. And yay, reviews! And wow, since chapter one? I have a reader who's that dedicated to the story? I'm honored.

**Loosecannon17** - Thank you. 3 Well, no more waiting, sir! Here's the next chapter!

**Superelfie** - Ahhh, my apologies then. And being tired while reviewing works for me. Some of my reviews when I'm tired are eccentric to say the least.

**Warcraftchick95** - Why thank you, my dear!

**Felhunter** - Oh yes, definitely a spoilsport. And I promise not to start on my Riddick fanfic until Gravitation is close to being done. Or done. One of the two. (shifty eyed look)

**Fireck** - (chuckles) I do try to keep my plotline reasonably believeable. I think I do a fairly decent job, right, guys?

**Kjiverx** - (gives you a thumbs up) Congratulations, man. ) You got it. Scorp, darling, you were close but he got it on the nosey. Mmmm, 40K. Sanguinius.. (purrs, gets smacked) Erf! As it is, cameo time! xD

**VoidMaster** - Oh my! Well, allow me to indulge in a few moments of being flattered at your enthusiastic reaction to my story! ) It always makes me happy to know that someone's really enjoying my story! And I'll write my Riddick fanfic eventually, but the public has decreed that I finish this one first. xD

**Shayl fan** - Wow! D You liked the story that much, eh? Well, thank you! Here's more Shayl for ya! ;3

_Author Notes_ - Oh, one other thing. Words like _this _are in Darnassian and words like _**this **_are in the language of Sindassi, which is the language of the Sin'Dorei, who are the blood elves. And then stuff like _**– this –**_ is memories. We all clear? Good. :3

**Warning!** Brief smut in the chapter. Don't read if you don't like it. Illidan/Maiev

HOLY SHIT! I love you guys! I HONESTLY DO! Gravitation has had over 10,000 hits and over A HUNDRED REVIEWS! 1-0-0! Oh man, I am unworthy of all your praises and reviews and attention! I have adoring fans! You guys are the best! Thank you! (And keep feeding me reviews. I adore them. Yes, yes, I do.)

Now, on with the show. :D

Be warned. Maiev/Illidan smut ahead.

* * *

Like a beast in a cage, Maiev Shadowsong paced the cell she had been placed in.

Bare feet carried the former Warden along the walls of the ten foot by ten foot jail cell she'd been given, a barred window leaving her free to taste the fresh air while a reinforced door was guarded on the outside by two massive naga warriors. Silver eyes narrowed in slender features before she'd give an impatient swipe of her hand at the dark purple strands, feeling quite naked without her armor and weapons.

As soon as she had been grabbed, or almost as soon, the nagas and blood elves had held her and stripped her down to nothing more then the simple clothing she wore beneath all the trappings that proclaimed her status as a Warden. Gleaming eyes of silver flitted to the window and Maiev stepped over to it, resting a hand against the bars as she felt the warm, stagnant air of Draenor whispering into the room and then back out of it again, as if Draenor itself was rejecting the taste of her. Lips would pull back from her teeth in a silent growl of rage, the Warden giving her head a quick, simple shake of motion.

Then, the sound of hooves coming down the hall pulled her attention from the window and Maiev turned to face the door, silhouetting herself against the evening dusk, staring intently at the steel-bound slab of oak that was the door. Then, the sound of the bar being lifted sounded loudly in her ears, wood scraping harshly across the rough steel holders that were set up to keep that beam of wood in place and the door began to swing inwards. It opened only from that side, Maiev found out, and her lips would pull back even further from her teeth as she saw Illidan's massive form ducking its head as he stepped through the door, slipping in before standing upright, forcing her to crane her neck upwards in order to keep his face in view.

"Ah, Warden Shadowsong," Illidan murmured half to himself. "You're looking quite well. And here I thought you had died out in the sands of Draenor. A pity that such a thing failed to occur; otherwise I'd be occupying myself with other things that are much more pleasurable then speaking to such a psychotic bitch as yourself."

His only warning was a hissing indrawn shriek of breath before Maiev launched herself at the large man, not caring at the moment that he was half of a demon or one of the most powerful sorcerers alive or even that he was as thickly muscled as ever. Her shoulder drove into his midriff, the bone almost seeming to shatter while Maiev would simply bounce back from his hard abdomen with a cry of pain before that cry was doubly increased as she found herself grabbed by the throat, Illidan slamming her into the wall nearby, his head drawing closer to hers.

"What were you hoping to accomplish with that foolhardy maneuver, Maiev? An attempt to hurt me? Foolish woman. You've never been able to hurt me with such puny tricks like that. Why are you even here, hmm? Hoping to succeed in killing me at last? Such a foolish woman, Maiev."

His breath washed across her features, Maiev being surprised by the pleasantly minty smell of it. Before, it had been simply his breath, colored by whatever food he'd consumed or sometimes it was tinted with the smell of water. But mints? Mints and Illidan? That was quite unusual indeed. The Watcher simply glared up at him before she finally parted her lips, finely formed mouth twisting to spew venom, white teeth flashing in her mouth as her own hands rose, sharp nails digging into his throat as she snarled out a reply in turn, growing more aroused by the moment as she felt his own erection pressing into her body in a familiar manner.

"I'm here because this is all your fault! Without you, I am nothing! All I have left in my life is you, you bastard. I exist only because I must kill you, Illidan!" Maiev hissed at him, fingers tightening on their hold.

How unusually attractive his new form was to her, even after the fact that Maiev had gotten plenty of time to study it. At first, she had been repulsed by the horns and the hooves. The wings, however, had fascinated her and when she and her sisters had captured him, Maiev had turned her attention upon those first, finding out how sensitive they were with open ease as she had taken an opportunity to clamber into his cage, interrogating him and how delightful that had been, tormenting the man. And how Illidan had loathed her for bringing that weakness into painfully obvious light for he had felt her touches on his wings more then once until Kael and Vashj had freed him, which had been both a relief and a torment for the half-breed.

But then had come Northrend and Shayl and it had all changed. Illidan's throat flexed as Maiev's hands removed themselves from his neck, her arms creeping beneath his before he hissed and bucked wildly against her when he felt her nails running between two of the elongated lines of bones that formed the vague image of a spidery hand upon those powerful wings. The Warden moaned in pleasure as Illidan's bucking pushed his aroused body into her own repeatedly and she kept repeating the motion. How deliciously twisted this was, they both felt, how twisted and how horrible. His jaw set, the half-breed spoke through gritted teeth, voice harsh.

"Woman.. you drive me to distraction, as always. This will gain you nothing from me? Do you hear me, understand me, Maiev? Nothing!"

This was an all too familiar scene for them both, Illidan thought to himself. The Warden twisted against him, the pair finding an insane attraction to one another in their hatred. No feelings of affectionate softness had ever twisted their way through the half-breed's heart for the woman before him. No. Too many times she had lured him into a false sense of acceptance, only to throw things back into his face over the hundred centuries in which he'd been imprisoned beneath the earth. But they had found an attraction to each other, an attraction that was dangerous and alluring to both of them.

Glare met glare, silver eyes blazing into pools of amber smoke before his head plunged down, teeth clamping upon her mouth gently as the two kissed, clawing and hissing at one another. Illidan stumbled backwards, supporting her weight as Maiev rode his hips, clutching at him with arms and legs. True, Illidan was growing fond of Shayl; there was no mistake about that. But he was a strong man with passions that ran deep and a relationship of violence and hate such as the one he and Maiev shared was not something that could be thrown away at a whim. It would take years for such a thing to fade. Yes, Illidan wanted Shayl, but Maiev was here and now and she was conveniently placed upon him.

He would never know if it was her hands or his that tore at the laces of his pants, the string coming free and allowing his thick arousal to press against her body. Maiev rocked against her former captive, reveling in the snarl that he threw her way, a moan underneath the angered sound. Her clothing was easy to pull open and she hissed loudly, nails digging into his back as Illidan thrust a large hand between her thighs, roughened fingertips stroking over the soft folds of her body's netherlips, the demonically-inclined male dragging his sharp nails across her, careful not to draw blood. Parting the slick, swollen lines of flesh, he allowed his finger to stroke upwards between them, causing the woman pinned to the wall to moan and shudder, a shriek of pleasure escaping her as Illidan found the swollen nub set at the apex of her folds and he gave it a firm pinch.

Then, he was being drawn between her legs, feeling them go around his waist and his hands were on her hips as he plunged into her, a moan escaping both lovers as pleasure rattled them both. Desire rose Illidan, digging its spurs in deeply; his nostrils flaring like a stallion's, the large man began to move his hips, Maiev rocking against him as he pulled back and returned in surging thrusts into her body. While this was full of pleasure for him, yes, Illidan found it.. lacking, for want of a better word. That didn't mean he wasn't enjoying it. Oh, far from it. His thrusting grew wilder and rougher at Maiev's urging and the man growled viciously, feeling her body tighten upon him as she shifted her legs to draw him even closer.

They knew each other well, knew how to read the signs and both knew that release was approaching. Maiev raked her nails across his back, feeling the raised lines of skin where her touches had left welts. A frown touched her face before her head dipped back and she moaned again before suddenly slashing her now curving fingers across the back of her lover, drawing blood now. Illidan gasped slightly before he threw his head back with a snarled moan, his fingers digging into the skin upon her hips, drawing blood in return. Tension grew in them both, Maiev clinging to him now while he rocked hard, panting escaping them both like animals. Then, the tension which had wound up so tight in the pair suddenly broke apart and they bellowed their release to the entire temple, Maiev's shriek of pleasure mingling with Illidan's roar.

And far above the dungeons, in a room where unseeing hands worked, their owner grew still, recognizing the deeper baritone that ripped through the air. The priest watched as Shayl's face seemed to grow pale before a frown would slowly crease its way over her pretty features and she abruptly turned and left with a curt farewell.

True, she had not been down to the dungeons before, but something pulled Shayl downwards. The druid moved with her typical silent grace, one hand upon the wall as she walked along, guiding her until the girl came to a halt, smelling the brine scent of the naga guards stationed outside of the door. A frown grew on her face as she listened to their hissing chuckles of sound, the comments making her jaw tighten and then the door swung open and Illidan stepped into the hallway, silencing them both with a glare. Shayl drew back, pressing herself against the wall, feeling his presence pull near. He was distracted enough that he passed by her, coming to a halt only after he'd stepped away and had one foot set on a stair a few feet above her. Then, Illidan swung about, facing her intently.

It had been her scent that had given her away and Illidan could only wonder at how distracted he'd been that he hadn't noticed the druid standing there before hand. The daemon in him stirred, awakening now in her presence when Maiev had not even bothered the beast that dwelt deep within his soul. Standing there before her, feeling the unusual embers of her rage heating the air, Illidan suddenly and inexplicably felt guilty for what he had just done. The daemon put off feelings of disgust, well aware of the physical act he had performed with Maiev, its distaste for the Warden clear while the desire it had for Shayl was overpowering to the point where he found himself standing before her, awaiting whatever fate had in store for her in terms of her wrath. The silence grew and then she turned and walked away, her anger clear as it simmered in the air. Illidan didn't bother trying to go after her for he simply would shake his head, swallowing before going to bathe.

Shayl came to a halt in front of the guards, their barbed jaws twitching as teeth would flash in their mouths, the one positioned upon the right finally speaking. Their tridents gleamed, and this close to the nagas, the druid could smell their salty sea aromas with ease, mingling with a subtle taste of blood, speaking of their preference for meats.

"What do you want, druid?"

"Let me in to see the prisoner."

The two glanced between each other before the one who spoke shrugged and opened the door for her. Shayl moved forward, chin lifted and her nose wrinkled as the druid smelled the aroma of spent passion upon the air, the musk that had been created between Maiev and Illidan's mating rubbing the druid the entirely wrong way. Why she was so incensed about this, Shayl was unsure. She knew she was developing some kind of feelings for Illidan and while he infuriated her, drove her nuts with his demands and believed he could order her about, he had always treated her with gruff respect. The druid kept telling herself that she was angry because of his earlier actions in seeming interested in her before he had simply dumped her on Kael and Vashj, taking off down to the dungeons.

Maiev was cleaning up the best she could, washing her thighs and groin, when she heard the door open. Straightening up, the Warden turned to survey the entry into the small chamber and her eyes widened in surprise to find a youthful kaldorei face there. The gold eyes intrigued her for she remembered Illidan's eyes being that deep, soul-seeing gold before he'd given them up for his power. But their gaze was fixed on the corner, the stare unnerving and unblinking and Maiev realized now that the girl was blind. Then, a smirk crossed her lips as she thought of why the girl would be here.

"_What do you want, little druid?_" Maiev asked, speaking in kaldorei, just to see if this girl hadn't been so corrupted that she could not answer back in that beautifully mournful tongue.

"_I came to meet the one whom Illidan occupied himself with. And from what he has told me about you, along with what I've heard from Kael, I seek now to understand why he would even bother mating with you, warden."_

Oh, yes, as soon as Illidan had slammed the door shut, Shayl had leapt upon Kael and Vashj, interrogating them relentlessly for information. And what she'd learned hadn't been much, but it had been enough. This was the woman who had kept Illidan imprisoned for ten thousand years. This was the woman who had captured him again in Outland. This was the woman who wanted to kill him.

Shayl loathed her.

And the feeling was mutual.

In Shayl, Maiev saw that there was something about her that she would never have. She had hold of Illidan's attentions in a manner that would never occur for the Warden and she continued to look the druid over before her eyes widened and the older woman stepped forward, ignoring the wrinkled grimace that spread over the druid's delicate features. Strong hands would grab Shayl, ignoring her struggles, and Shayl's head was wrenched to the side, exposing the healing bite wound upon Shayl's slender neck. It still had not healed, thanks to the druid's habit of picking at it, but it was already scarring upon her neck, a clear mark from Illidan standing out white against her soft lavender skin, claiming the woman as his own.

"_Let go of me!"_

Shayl's hands rose as she clawed at the Warden's grip, her nails scratching at Maiev's skin, drawing blood. The Warden, in return, slapped her.

That was the last straw as far as Shayl was concerned. With shrieks of anger, the pair fell upon one another, fighting with their bare hands. Or, at least Shayl fought with her bare hands. But Maiev was older and craftier and she had spent time in the cell, long enough to break off a shank from the bed and she had sharpened it over several long hours. It was kept in her sleeve and now she slipped it out. Let Illidan bring his wrath down upon her! Maiev hated Shayl for having that mark, for being so goodly pure and innocent. As she punched the girl in the face, the Warden dove at her, the shank in her hand as she tried to plunge it into the druid's heart, seeking to end the fight. But Shayl felt something was off and she dove to the side, her battered form speaking a mute testament to Maiev's skill.

Shayl let out a shrill cry of pain as the shank plunged into her body, convulsing and dropping onto the floor. Maiev bent down and yanked the weapon free, glaring down at her before the Warden wordlessly raised her hand, preparing to drive it into Shayl's neck when the girl's body warped and convulsed again. Then, Shayl's form rippled and it _changed. _Clothes became fur, a long tail sprouted and her stance went from two legs to four. A deep snarl escaped the throat of the panther before her and Maiev let out a curse before diving at the transformed druid.

A large paw met her dive, slapping her across the room. Maiev was too stunned by the powerful blow to twist about and her head connected painfully hard with the wall, knocking her out. The panther padded over to her and nudged the Warden, making sure she wasn't dead; no matter how much hate the druid felt about this woman for her past deeds, she was a preserver of life to the end. Shayl felt blood running down her side and the transformation had taken a lot out of her. Slowly, painfully, she forced herself back into her elf shape and collapsed upon her hands and knees. Then, forcing herself upright, concealing her wound with her arm, she left the cell and hurried up the stairs. But she didn't head to Illidan's bedchambers.

No, instead of the typical route of up and right, she went forward, slipping out of the Temple through the front gates, letting out a glib answer that Illidan was sending her to look for some kind of plant he had heard might help to heal the wound upon his chest. The guards merely wished her good fortune and Shayl smiled a trembling smile before loping out of sight. But, as soon as she knew she could escape, the girl's form changed again and she was once more the panther. The druid ran and ran until she could run no more. Rustles from nearby told her of bushes and the girl spoke to the earth in silent tones, asking if there was a safe place she could sleep. Rumbling in answer, the land provided her with a shallow cave, perfect for her. Crawling into it, muscles shaking with exhaustion, Shayl curled up and fell into a deep sleep.

Back at the temple, however, things weren't going very well. The hours passed and Illidan finally began to wonder what was going on, the daemon in him and the man himself growing mildly worried about the druid's absence. At last, he dispatched Kael into going to find her. The lord of Outland sat in a chair, leaning against the plush cushions as he held onto a goblet of wine. Why had he not bothered to confront Shayl about what he'd done..? The answer was simple. Illidan was afraid. Afraid of losing her if he told her what he'd done. The why of it was unimportant at the moment; he only knew that if he told her and she turned away from him that something inside of him would break and be gone forever. Lifting the goblet of wine to his lips, he drank deeply, Illidan's thoughts his only company when he heard the door open and Kael approach. The master of the temple remained silent, waiting for his lieutenant to speak.

He didn't have long to wait.

"Shayl.. The druid, my lord.. She's.. gone."

* * *

And that, folks, wraps up the latest chapter. Oh my. Illidan, you naughty, naughty man. Hurting poor Shayl like that when you know that she obviously has a crush on you and letting your ex stab her. Bad Illidan. Bad, BAD Illidan.

**Illidan**- (growling)  
**Shayl**- (ignoring him, scowling viciously)

Well, folks, what do you think is gonna happen in the next chapter? Don't worry, Shayl will be fine. And she'll be back with Illidan before the chapter's over. I'll just leave you all to gnaw on this one.

**Illidan**- THIS IS HER FAULT! (trying, unsuccessfully, to convince Shayl that his sleeping with Maiev is Arc's fault)  
**Shayl**- Hmf! Yeah, right!

… Uhm, anyways! Review, people! I wanna see fifteen of them for this latest chapter. ) Mwahahahaha.


	10. Hunting

**Gravitation  
Arcadia-Sama  
Summary**- Never mind. You'll see.  
**Disclaimer**- Only Shayl is copyright me. I own nothing about WarCraft. Though I do wish I did own Arthas and Illidan. x3 Anyways! On with the story!  
**Suggested BGM** – _"Stirb Nicht Vor Mir (Don't Die Before I Do)- __**Rammstein**_

_"Ande'thoras-Ethil.. brother."__ - **Malfurion**_

And thank you guys, for the reviews!

**FLECHER -** - I know. He's cruel to her, but unintentionally. Maiev, on the other hand.. (cackles as she watches Maiev keel over from the poison) And thanks! I try keeping them interesting. … It's also called a plot device. . ;

**Shayl**- (sniffles, clings to the hug)

**Iffymoo** - "Fantastic!" Eeeee! Aye, I shall! D

**Lunaeras** - (watches with wide eyes as Illidan hits the ground and twitches and Shayl accepts the comforting.. then eats the brownies and looks thoughtful) Yes, she's gonna live. And how's he gonna make it up to her? Good question. (chews thoughtfully) Haven't made up my mind yet. But rest assured, gals, that Shayl's gonna give Illidan what's coming to him.

**SemiSane** - (leaps into the air and catches the cookie in her mouth and lands on her butt, chewing happily as she wags her tail) Thanks! And of course he's gonna choose Shayl. We'll all stab him if he doesn't.

**She-Ninja** - Eeeeee! Yes, we love the horns. Gotta love them. (chews on one, ignores Illidan's growling)

**Zlorea** - (melts under the puppydog eyes) Awwwwwwww! (hug!) Here's more!

**Scorpinette **- Vicious? Well, that's putting it mildly, I suppose. (chuckles) And yay. I hope you'll stay with me all the way through the story, then. x) It promises to have some very interesting twists.

**Heals** - Heroin? Oh dear. I hope she'll be alright! .. But it is nice to know that my story is so obsessed over. And hee, went and read over your story too. 3 I think Noa will be good with Sigma. X3 But that's just me.

**Akasha Dark Riddle** - Arthas is busy being dear ol' Lich King and all bad-ass and smexiness and and and (drooling commences before being smacked by someone.. _coughcough_) and, er, yes, he's just doing his job. Ahem. Do you want him in the story or something? XD Because I'm more then willing to start writing in the substoryline I have planned up for Arthas.

**Baka Ecchi Kon** - No, smut between Maiev and Illidan bad. Very bad. Smut between Shayl and Illidan GOOD. Yes. That is the way you will think. (Jedi mindtrick)

**Superelfie **- You consider that explicit? Try this chapter and THEN tell me it's explicit! Yes, the story's finally hitting the M rating people. x3

**Felhunter** - I would have some handsome blood elf hunter rescue Shayl, whisk her away and make sweet, sweet love to her or something along those lines, but that'd be like consigning him to a death wish. From Illidan. Who would bring much fiery doom upon the hunter's head. So, yeaaaaaaaah. xD At least you love me, right?

**Kaoreii** - Awr, thank you! Two reviews from the same person! On different sites! Wewt. And yes, that was one thing I fought very hard to avoid, the autolove bit. It just didn't sit right with me. After all, he has to get over the fact that she's a druid, right?

**Dazia** - A mild break, but still a break!

**Chandra** - Well, here you go then!

**Starita96** - Thanks, I suppose. I try making it good!

**Tlad** - If you don't like the replying to reviews, then you don't have to read them.

**Zukassi** - XD To some people, yes, but not to me. That was my bow to the Maiev/Illidan fans. My ONLY bow. :P Sorry guys, but I just don't like that pairing. (And I'm not saying it because I'm biased towards Shayl/Illy. In the real 'verse for WC, I just can't see Illidan being with anyone at all. X3)

**Jivalour** - (bows deeply) Well, thank you very much. I know there's a couple out there, but to be told that mine's the best out of all you've read? You flatter me, my dear. It's naught but my simple lovechild.

**Kikuta** - Alright! (smacks Illidan upside the head, as per request) There you go. 3 And hee, thanks! Glad to know people like it.

_Author Notes_ - Oh, one other thing. Words like _this _are in Darnassian and words like _**this **_are in the language of Sindassi, which is the language of the Sin'Dorei, who are the blood elves. And then stuff like _**– this –**_ is memories. We all clear? Good. :3

Hey! Furion's finally making an appearance! WOO! Been waiting to write this up..

Now, on with the show! D

* * *

Silence remained in the room, the crackling of the fire the only sound. Then, a protesting squeal of metal was heard and wine slopped its way across Illidan's hand, falling to stain the carpet along with several thick drops of amethyst blood, the dark red wine and purple blood mingling together. Slowly, long fingers were uncurled from the now misshapen mass of silver that had once been the goblet. The sorcerer rose to his feet, ignoring Kael as he fell back and then Illidan turned and left the room, stopping only moments after Kael had spoken, turning to face him with a vicious scowl that promised pain to the young prince if he did not speak up.

"What was that, Kael?"

The lord of the Sin'Dorei swallowed quietly before speaking again. "I said.. I said that we found blood, my lord, leading from Maiev's prison cell to the outer reaches of the temple. After that, the trail became sporadic. We investigated the cell of the prisoner and found a crude knife covered in the blood of a kaldorei. We have detained the prisoner and b-"

The words were choked off for Illidan had vanished out of the room, his hooves pounding down the staircase all the way to the cell. The guards had heard the commotion and were already pulling the door open when their master launched himself at it and forcing the two naga warriors to scatter to either side; Illidan's glaives appeared in his hands and cut through the thick wood, the blades sheathed in green flame. Shards of wood exploding inwards, the sorcerer half-breed landed with a bestial roar of pure, undiluted fury before the shaken, ashen-faced warriors in the cell. Maiev lifted her head slowly from where it had been resting against her chest, face battered slightly and a truly insane smile on her lips as the former jailor saw the almost psychotic rage twisting Illidan's features. Striding over to her, the massive half-breed pulled his hand back, the glaive in it vanishing and brought it down, slapping her powerfully across the face, almost breaking the woman's neck. Yet, Illidan held himself back from killing the traitorous bitch right then and there- barely.

"What did you do to her?!" the man roared, glaring down at Maiev, the tattoos wrapping about his upper chest and arms glowing a brilliant green, blocked only by the pristine white bandages that still wrapped his body.

Maiev simply smiled again, flashing white teeth in a grimace before speaking at last, ignoring his anger, knowing that he wouldn't kill her, despite the swelling in her face that spoke otherwise as a mute testament to the sorcerer's vile temper. Her jaw hurt as she moved it in the motions of speaking, knowing that this would likely be the perfect way to incite him into taking her down, into finishing her life. She had no use anymore, no purpose, nothing at all like that anymore.

"I stabbed her, you fool," Maiev rasped out. "Stabbed the bitch so she'd bleed to death, so she wouldn't ever come and bother me again, stabbed her hard. You know, she came down here, to me, presumably to tell me to keep my hands off of you. I saw her face, Illidan. You've hurt her heart for this. Hurt her deeper then she's likely ever been hurt before. Fool. Can't even see what's right in front of your eyes, now can you?"

He frowned, she saw, a frown of utter confusion and the fact that the two were so oblivious to the emotions of the other in their sick and twisted relationship between the druid and the sorcerer made Maiev choke down a laugh of inane glee. Leave it to her former toy to overlook the fact that the girl was in love with him, a love that had bloomed right under his nose! And if not love, then at least strong affections that had prompted Shayl into coming to the dungeons and fighting with Maiev over the man and what he'd done with the Warden. Then, her legs, unrestrained but for simple ties, jerked and she slammed one knee into his body, causing Illidan to growl and pull back, his hands releasing her already bruising throat, leaving Maiev to cough loudly and painfully before speaking past swollen vocal chords.

"I wouldn't hold my breath on her being ecstatic when you find her, Illidan. No, she just might try something that I would do and for that sense of emotion itself, I applaud her for it. You deserve death, you foul traitor!"

Illidan had listened long enough and his rage and disgust with the Warden was so great that he did nothing more then turn away from her and march away, hooves clicking heavily against the stone, cloven things of horn-covered bone leaving behind slight impressions in each brick, flames licking a trail behind him before dying out in slow, fitful flickers, as if refusing to light her small cell anymore. The door slammed shut and the window had been barred, leaving Maiev in utter blackness, chained to the wall and she heard a heavy thunk as the bar of wood slammed shut across it. And then Maiev listened hard, hearing Illidan's words through the wood.

"She is to have no food until I get back. Spare water, just enough to keep her alive. And when I return, she shall be placed on trial and executed for her crimes against me as well as against Shayl."

Then, ignoring the screams of rage that filled the room behind him, Illidan was gone, striding up the stairs and out of the Temple, his glaives appearing in flashes of green fire in his hands. Wings spreading, his legs tensed and then thighs and calves worked in unison as he thrust himself from the ground, rising into a wavering flight that dipped up and down through the air, but it was the best he could think of doing. Catching an updraft that caused swirls of red dust to eddy along the bleak landscape, Illidan threw himself into searching for Shayl, into trying to find her.

* * *

_**Draenor had been beautiful, once.**_

_**Thickly verdant forests filled mountain regions while golden plains rippled in waves beneath the sun's watchful eye. Green was abundant and clear, crystal water filled lakes and streams, singing merrily as it rolled along, filling the air with sounds that were long vanished now. It had been a beautiful time and ages of life had woven themselves across the land.**_

_**It was the former home of the orcs, the unusual nomadic people that had changed and were slowly redeeming themselves these days under the guidance of their leader, Thrall. How unusual it was to see these warrior-shamans filling the lands, their prayers to the spirits and to the world feeding the power of the world itself. In these ancient days, in the days of honor and peace and simple lifestyles, they had been wonderful people. But all good things, no matter how steadfast or enduring or eternal, must always come to an end for the balance of things must always be restored and the scales will tip to compensate for all things.**_

_**For this case, the balance came in the forms of the warlocks, led by Gul'dan, the first of their kind. He had betrayed his master to the horrid ministrations of the Eredar warlock Kil'jaeden, had allowed his people to drink the blood of the demonic Pit Lord named Mannoroth. Under the manipulations of the orc warlock, the now blood-minded hordes of orcs rampaged across Draenor, destroying the lush beauty of the land and causing anguish to the soul inhabiting the beautiful place.**_

_**Yet even more misery followed when the possessed Guardian named Medivh crafted what would be named the Dark Portal. Using that, Gul'dan unleashed the orc army upon the unsuspecting people of Azeroth. A long and grueling war took place, wreaking havoc on all of the inhabitants of the Eastern Kingdoms. But the war only ended when a powerful wizard named Khadgar destroyed the Dark Portal with the support of Alliance heroes giving him strength.**_

_**The final results of the destruction of the Portal twisted Draenor into Outland, the land being shattered and brutalized while the bloodlust of the orcs finally wore itself out in the internment camps, two different results that none could have predicted at the start of the Second War. But years of confinement in the camps wore the orcs down until Thrall came along.**_

_**Thrall, son of Durotar of the Frostwolf Clan, broke free of his bonds of slavery and freed his people. It was he who brought the orcs to Kalimdor, he who began to teach the ways of the shamans to his people once more, he who began a tentative alliance with Jaina Proudmoore, the pair seeking what seemed to be a growing friendship (and perhaps it would someday become something more). **_

_**The land saw the arrival of Magtheridon, the Pit Lord, twisting one of the few remaining structures to his own personal use and turning it into what was now known as the Black Citadel. Through the remaining portals in Outland, daemonic reinforcements poured into the land daily, their numbers kept in check only because of the size of the portals which could only let so many through at once.**_

_**Then Illidan came to Outland.**_

_**Illidan. A beacon of dark power and great hunger, a man who pursued what he wanted with a single-minded ambition that burned away all obstacles in his path, a man who turned his defeats into knowledge. How that man shook the world with his abilities. Easily, it seemed, he enlisted the aid of the blood elves, nay, the Sin'Dorei, as well as the Broken Ones, the remnants of the Draenai who had taken refuge in Draenor before their people had been driven out by the orcs, butchered at the Black Temple like so many cattle. But Illidan had changed it all, had brought together the sin'dorei and the naga, had taken in Akama's broken people and given them form and purpose once again.**_

_**Illidan had left to return to the Other World and had gone to Northrend where he had been broken and cast down by Arthas, Shayl being whisked to him by Kael's machinations in an effort to heal his master. And then they'd returned to Outland and Shayl had been a breath of fresh air in the stagnating realm of the once noble and beautiful land. Everywhere she went, new life glistened in the soils and the land leapt eagerly to listen to her words, to comply with her gentle requests, to be part of something whole once again. For within her, Shayl bore a great power and a sense of a purpose that had yet to be fulfilled. And now the land sheltered this girl, cradling her as she sought protection in its embrace.**_

_**But something was coming..**_

_**Him.. The one who claimed her..**_

**Illidan..**

* * *

It was with a simple moan of sound that Shayl stirred back to full awareness, head fuzzy from the immersion of memories of the land, memories that sloughed off her mind like water. Such a thing was an unusual ability to say the least and one rarely used, but such an odd technique gave her information of what she wished to know. And this time, the land had warned her of the approach of the one person she had been running from. The man who had taken her simple life and turned it upside down with the simple fact of her being charged with his healthcare by one of his lieutenants, the man who had started to steal away something precious of hers, something that she could never get back.

The large druid-turned-night saber stirred, long fangs jutting past sleek lower jaw and she would arch her back slightly before pushing up onto all four paws, her stance shaky. Once again, the wound was pulled open and Shayl began to bleed, purple blood oozing slowly from the wound that refused to close because of Shayl's constant motion away from the place that housed Illidan. But exhaustion weighed heavily upon the transformed druid and she had been losing blood at a slow, but constant rate over the last few hours as she kept pushing onwards. Her last bout of unconsciousness had not occurred by choice and Shayl would have remained still long enough for the wound to shut, but with that man searching for her (or so the land had seemed to imply for its abuse had broken the spirits in ways that would be slow to mend), the druid knew that she could not remain there.

So it was that Shayl displayed the grueling determination of her people with that simple act, forcing herself to put one paw before the other wearily. Even though she was blind, the feline-shaped woman kept to as much cover as she could in this blasted, broken area. Despite such measures (and her head cracking into stone more then once, despite the druid's ability to normally avoid such obstacles), her blood kept marking her trail. Shayl didn't know that it was a plain beacon to the one hunting for her now and she could feel Illidan. He was distant to be sure and she knew that she shouldn't have been able to feel him, but she could. At last, the feline stumbled into a cave, a small dry cavern that would hopefully keep her hidden from that man and curled up against the wall, shaking as exhaustion pummeled her into slow submission.

Above the ground, however, Illidan swooped along, his gaze focused upon the diminishing sheen of the greenish tint to the trail of purple blood that decorated the ground. Even as he paused and hovered in one spot, he saw the ground and the land soaking up that green glow, each pool of radiant light fanning outwards and seeming to breathe new life into the environment. But he couldn't stay and marvel over such things. Shoulders flexed slightly and the muscles in his wings grew tight before flexing and propelling him onwards, the sorcerer angling downwards as the trail led him to a rockier area and then it seemed to vanish.

But she was close. He could feel her presence. He could taste her. But the truest sign was the stirring of the daemon within his soul, the bestial presence awakening itself without any prompting from Illidan. The daemon had pulled back from his bout of anger earlier, not trusting itself to keep Maiev alive until they brought Shayl back. And they _would _bring her back, no matter what happened. Both Illidan and the daemon were of a single mind about that. Spiraling downwards in a tight circle, Illidan slowly settled onto the ground before striding along, wings tucking loosely against his back as his jaws worked, glaives once again gone from his grasp. A handy technique that spell he'd learned was, allowing him to summon and dismiss his weapons as he saw fit.

His head lifted and he inhaled at the air, sucking in the smell of old, barren dust, of stagnating air.. and blood. His tongue emerged for a moment, touching to each lip in the mere affections of memory. The daemon growled, a similar sound escaping Illidan's throat moments later as his anger with Maiev was stirred up again. This close to the bloodscent and Shayl's own smell, he didn't even bother looking at the ground. Instead, he bounded from spot to spot before settling down and turning his head from side to side. Wings twitching with impatience, Illidan moved on again until he sensed rather then saw the cave. Here, the bloodsmell and her smell were strongest. This is where she was!

"Shayl!"

Illidan moved into the cave, having to hunch to accommodate his massive form in such a smaller space. Seeing the night saber curled up against the back cave wall, he moved towards her with a swiftness borne of desperation. She had to be alright, let her be alright, let her be alive still and fine (or as fine as one could be after getting stabbed), let her know he was there. His mind swirled with thoughts and emotions that tumbled and tripped over one another, conflicting feelings acting much like puppies with an old rag sock, shaking it back and forth. How could he both loathe and need this woman at once? How was it that she made him feel the way he did? Perhaps it would be better if she did die! But no, the mere thought of that made him go cold inside and his breath hitched as he ran his fingers over her fur, finding the open wound in her side before Illidan hauled the unconscious druid into his arms gently, shivering with emotions that he didn't dare to study closely. Illidan worked now, his fingers pressing to her wound, green fire searing it shut, cauterizing the flesh with ease and hopefully leaving his druid with her powers untouched, untainted for he'd used arcane magicks with that simple gesture, magicks that could possibly destroy what she represented!

_You can't die, Shayl! I won't let you die, fool woman! I need you!_ At that last thought, his breath seized in his lungs and Illidan bowed his head, pulling the large cat even more firmly against him. _.. Yes.. I need you. You are the only one who can fix my body, woman! And if you die and leave me behind.. I will not let you do that! Not ever! You are __**mine**__, druid and such a thing like this wound will not keep you from me!_

The gentle thrum of a pulse stirred the beast, her elongated ears twitching slightly. Arms were wrapped around her form and she simply rested her large head where it had fallen, resting blocky snout and head against the soft linen of his bandages and the hard muscle beneath the covering. Tail twitched slightly and Shayl let out a small sigh, finding she was enjoying this. Oh, she knew who was holding her for his scent was obvious. But so was the smell of the Warden whose vile odor remained upon his flesh despite Illidan having washed himself earlier. And the smell incited a simmering resentment deep within her being.

How _dare _he come to her, still smelling of that woman? How DARE he do such a thing? The only warning she gave Illidan was a low rumble of a growl before she threw herself against him, quite easily considering that he was holding her. Claws emerged from forepaws, those alone about twelve inches across, five long curling scythes of pearly coloration measuring in at four inches in length; one paw slapped across Illidan's face and making his head spin, the other ripping into his chest as she snarled and went for his throat with her fangs. She felt his hands grabbing her muzzle, the ends of each long fang drawing a shallow set of twin gashes across the thick muscles in his throat, the woman going for his jugular with no sense of remorse. Illidan made no moves to stop her, just as her movements had ceased. It was a stalemate for he could snap her neck in an instant with his grasp.. but Shayl could also rend his flesh with a mortal wound before he could stop her.

"Shayl.." came Illidan's voice, softened for once as he sought to reach past her anger, past the form pinning him down with such graceful power. "Shayl.. Don't. I was.. wrong.. to do what I did. Don't do this, Shayl. I came to find you, did I not? I came for-"

The figure atop him shifted before the shape rippled. Fur receded into flesh, claws became fingers and the thick earthy scent of her touched his nostrils. Now her hands touched him, now he felt her skin against his and Illidan was suddenly aware that the druid was lacking in clothing. Such an impromptu observation could only lead to disaster for him. But he still made no move to touch her yet, waiting to see what she would do. And Shayl knelt there on his chest, teeth exposed as her lips pulled back, white chips of bone flashing in the dim lighting of the small cave as she spoke, blind eyes blazing with the full force of her fury.

"Wrong? Wrong?! I'll tell you what's wrong, Illidan! You think that your coming to find me will endear you to me?! Are you so hard-pressed for relief with a woman that you just take whatever whore is convenient? Nay, Illidan, you will not have any affection from me! The only thing that I will do is heal your wounds and once they are all gone, I will leave to return to my home! You are a fool if you think that you can come to me again after sleeping with that vile bitch!" she shouted at him, eyes narrowed in a glare.

Illidan let out a low growl at her words.. and then he felt her hands going for his throat, nails preparing to rip into his throat. His own grip caught her by the wrists and his body twisted beneath hers and Shayl suddenly found herself on her back. Kicking at Illidan with her legs proved futile for the larger male simply draped himself across her body, his growl matching her own snarl as he forced her arms over her head. He hovered over her, breaths mingling and tension crackled in the air for Illidan couldn't help but notice the heaving of her chest, nor could he ignore the feeling of her body against his.

"You are mine, woman, whether you want to believe it or not! Maiev is nothing to me, nothing more then a simple diversion! It is you who drives me insane with need every night and day; it is you who is lodged within my thoughts and feelings! You are driving me insane, Shayl and such torments will not cease until I have you!"

Then, before she could say anything more, Shayl was being kissed by him, his mouth closing over her own, lips slanting firmly together. The daemon within his soul roared with pleasure at her taste and then came the sibilant hisses of how he should mark her again, just to reinstate the fact that she belonged to the one crouched over her now. Illidan kissed his druid with a passion born of hunger and utterly terrible loneliness. Why did she make him feel alive again? How was it that this fool woman was able to arouse him to such a degree that he felt driven to take her whenever the whim occurred to him, even without touching her? What about her made it possible? Was it her damnable innocence that he wanted to strip away, her body which was, while not sleek and athletic, pleasing in its softness, that luxurious and unusual mane of hair that now spilled about her body as she laid beneath him?

The druid drove him to the heights of insanity and craving and Illidan knew that peace would come only when his lust was slaked. Not even that brief sojourn with Maiev had purged the want, the need for his healer from his body. Instead, he'd felt emptier afterwards instead of the usual hateful delight that he had once shared with the Warden. But when he touched Shayl, Illidan felt life seep into him. He felt calm about her as the daemon too was both calmed and excited by her mere presence. None would touch her for he had marked her with his kiss, his bite, the thick scar on Shayl's neck announcing who she belonged to as did the scent surrounding her.

Illidan held the kiss, his fingers wrapping about her wrists still as his tongue plundered her mouth. His surprise knew no bounds when he found her kissing back and a deep snarling growl erupted in the back of the hybrid's throat as his body reacted. Slowly, ever so slowly, Illidan allowed his fingers to loosen their grip on her arms and he felt those long slender limbs wrapping about his neck. Both hands skimmed down her sides, coming to clasp Shayl's hips. Continuing to devour her mouth with his, he pulled her up against him, thrusting his hips against hers and he relished in the gasp she gave as his hidden erection rubbed slowly across those butter-soft folds between her legs. Then, breaking the kiss, he spoke, head lowering to nuzzle into her neck.

"There is no turning back now, woman. I am going to make you mine and unless you truly do not wish to have this, I will not stop. You belong to me, druid, and I plan to make sure that you have your chance to inflict on Maiev what she did to you. I would have killed her, if not for the desire of wanting you to have a chance to testify against her. As well as letting you give what she gave you."

Shayl "looked" up at him and her fingers moved, stroking the harshly carved lines of his face, stroking along his jaw and she seemed to study him. Then, long fingers touched the wounds on his face where she had slapped him with her paw, having kept her claws mostly retracted. But she could tell by the touches alone that if she did not heal them, then he would bear the scars for the rest of his days. With a small sigh, she pressed her fingers to the shallow gashes and healed them with a simple spell, noticing only now as she did so that her own wound was healed. He must have noticed her murmur of surprise for she could sense his smile. Illidan had healed her wound? How unusual. Then, with another sigh, the druid spoke at last, her own voice low.

"I see. If that is the case, then.. very well, Illidan. I am still angry with you, but I cannot deny you, as much as I wish that I could! I cannot.. deny.. that I want you. Oh goddess.. Illidan, what have you done to me..?" she moaned low in her throat before her fingers plunged into the thick navy locks of hair upon his head and she dragged his head down to hers again, sensing his surprise at her motion.

The two were entwined together, the large sorcerer and the smaller druid kissing and finding a strange and wondrous comfort in one another's arms. As it was, they did not sense the presence of one who had come to this land for the world he had left behind had told this one of the loss of its daughter, a beautiful, wonderful girl who was strong as he in the magicks of the earth and living world. In this land, she was a bright shining beacon, easily found despite the horrid lifeless nature of the land or perhaps it was because of that he was able to find her with such ease. And it was to this cave that he was drawn and here that he stopped, staring in horror at the sight before him.

Malfurion Stormrage sought for words as he saw the young woman beneath his twin, her pale limbs contrasting with the light grayish-purple of the sorcerer's body, their mouths held together with an intensity of emotion that he felt he had lost long ago. But seeing this here and now, his brother obviously seducing some poor naïve girl that he abducted, was simply a matter that brought the arch-druid's ire to life once more. With a roar, he slammed the end of his staff into the ground, cracks radiating outwards from where it connected with the floor of the cavern. Green energy flowed about the druid, filling the cavern with a renewed sense of life.

He saw his brother jerk around, wings flaring wide as he crouched there as the marks that Illidan had received from Sargeras erupted into bright neon green symbols along both arms and slithering across Illidan's torso. The girl that Malfurion could only name as a druid was shrieking and covering herself, legs drawn towards her stomach while arms settled across her chest, hiding the mounds of her breasts from his eyesight. The larger twin rose to his hooves and the arch druid kept his gaze upright, doing his best to ignore the sight of his twin's body on such display. Cheeks flushed with anger and embarrassment, the brothers both spoke at once, words clashing in the air.

"Malfurion! What are you doing here-?!"

"Illidan, what are you doing to her-?!"

The two ceased speaking in a moment as their questions were conflicting and yet ironically so alike. They were mirrors of one another, Malfurion being the pinnacle of druidic power and Illidan his darker shadow, master of the arcane sorceries that had torn them apart and had almost destroyed the world. The tension rippled in the air between each brother, Malfurion having to look up at Illidan. They didn't have to do that once, looking up and down at one another these days. At last, the green-maned twin drew himself upright, his voice somber and deep as he addressed them both, eyes moving briefly to the bandages wrapping Illidan's figure and the shredded flesh that still laid in an unhealed manner across the torso of his now hybrid twin.

"I have come to take her home with me, Illidan! This daughter of the earth does not belong here!"


	11. Trial

**Gravitation  
Arcadia-Sama  
Summary**- Never mind. You'll see.  
**Disclaimer**- Shayl's copyright me, as is plot. Everything else, copyright Blizzard. (But I would love to have Illidan.)  
**Suggested BGM** – _"The Trial"- __**Pink Floyd**_

_"You have won...Maiev. But the huntress...is nothing without the hunt. You are nothing...without me..." - __**Illidan**_

And thank you guys, for the reviews!

**Rogue Paladin - **xD Well, thanks for the review anyways, hun. It's much appreciated. And don't beat too hard! How else will I get to chapter 12?

**Scorpinette** - Well, thank yew, thank yew very much! (ceases her mutilation of Elvis) Hope you enjoy this chapter!

**Yusari** - That whole Malfurion/Maiev idea's about to go flying out the window by the end of this chapter. But hey. The daemon in Illy has to be slightly nympho. xD Just a bit.

**SemiSane** - Awwww! You have no idea how good that makes me feel knowing I helped you feel better hun. I'm glad I could do so in my own small way.

**Draknal** - (salutes) Next chapter up for your reading pleasure, sir! And edge of the seat, eh? I'll have to keep that in mind!

**Felhunter** - Oh, no, no chest beating here between those two. xD I had enough of their fighting in the games. And the books. But it is cute. Well, there's none at the moment anyways.

**Akasha Dark Riddle** - Eh? What about Arthas?

**ALF** - Well, hopefully this answers some of your questions. ;) And hopefully, it'll spawn even more questions then it answers. I am cruel.

**Dazia**- (salutes again) You're quite welcome!

**Nixsend** - Well, you might not be so happy with what happens to Maiev by the end of this chapter. (whistles innocently) And Shay's going to.. Well, you're gonna have to read it now, aren't you?

**Baka Ecchi Kon** - (steps back as Illidan beats on you for thinking such sacrilegious thoughts) Wow. I didn't expect that. And Maiev smut of any kind is usually enough to make me stare blankly at the screen. xD But it can be useful! (just stays out of Illidan's way)

**Kikuta**- COOKIES! I likes the cookies! D And no worries. Illidan will stay with Shayl, m'dear. (chuckles) Otherwise, there'd be no more story, right? Right, guys? Right!

**Tlad** - o.o Goodness! I certainly hadn't expected such an enthusiastic review! Well, here's the chapter. Hope you enjoy!

**Zukassi** - Of couse! It's so much fun making you people squirm.

**A pen name that no one has** - Well, here's the answer to your wonderings, my dear!

**Crimson Lotus** - (noms on the treats and grins about a cookie) Well, as per your request, here is more indeed! And does seem to do that to reviews, half the time, or so I think.

**Lady Kaliska** - I have done my honest best not to make Shayl a Mary Sue. She's not perfect, not by any means, and while she's powerful as a druid, she's not god-like in her powers. She has a personality and her own feelins and dreams and hopes. And she still hasn't admitted to being in lurve with Illidan, after all. Doesn't that count for something? And you anticipated this chapter more then the Deathly Hallows? Wow. I am flattered.

**Ryu-Sama** - Yes, Malfurion did have to come and ruin their fun. Bad Furion. Bad. No treats for you.

**Diminia** - (stares back at Avar calmly) Darling, if I can face down the four Chaos Gods and come away without being scared by THEM, you have no chance. (smirks at him) Besides.. Your glaring only makes me want to tie you up in my closet. Anyways, here's the next chapter. I do hope you enjoy it, my dear. (chuckles)

_Author Notes_ - You know the drill with the words in Darnassian and whatnot. Check previous chapters. X3

Now, on with the show:D

* * *

Silence pulsed in the cavern, deafening Shayl with its thunderous crackle of tension. Heat flamed high in her cheeks, black shadows underlining each opalescent eye of sun-yellow, eyes that matched Illidan's long-lost gaze of similar appearance. The powers she felt from this new arrival made her breath hitch, but not in the pleasant way that Illidan did to her. No, with this new arrival, she felt a sense of oneself, of the earth and of ancient emotions that were still raw and angry, despite their age. Lower lip was worried with sharp white teeth, the young woman just remaining behind Illidan as he crouched before her, flaring wings and broad body structure providing her with a sense of modesty that would vanish as soon as he moved.

At the entrance of the cave, Malfurion kept his distance from his brother, silver eyes sweeping past him to the girl huddled against the back of the cave. Glowing eyes narrowing, he studied the unknown woman for she was familiar to him in a strange, subtle way. Perhaps he had known her parents. Yet the way she stared at him and past him indicated a lack of sight. Her hair too was most unusual, in the fact that it was two-toned, going from dark green at the roots to bright green at the tips. Fingers would tighten about his staff as Illidan began to rumble deep in his throat, a warning snarl that Malfurion recognized only all too well. How his brother had changed! Gaze studied the wings and horns before taking in the slow-healing wound across Illidan's torso, a dark blue-black blemish against his otherwise unmarked torso exposed for the bandages that had covered it had been shredded by sharp claws, not counting the raw gashes that Shayl's claws had inflicted. But the arch druid didn't know that yet.

"What do you mean, take _her home with you?!_" Illidan snarled. "She is mine, not yours, and there is no argument over that! Besides that.." Lips curled into a slow smirk. "It is not your choice to make, _brother. _Let my darling healer decide for herself."

Illidan heard a gasp behind him, of surprise, and wings would spread wide before he would turn and gather the druid in his arms, wings folding about her nude body to preserve the girl's inane sense of modesty. Feeling her quiver (and ignoring the strangled gasp from his brother as Shayl would visibly snuggle closer into Illidan's chest, cheek tucked to his shoulder), the sorcerous half-breed would hide his smile the best he could against her hair, stroking it gently. True, this gentle druid had been abducted by Kael and his men and brought to their master so she could heal Illidan, but Illidan would let her make the choice, his own machinations and thoughts figuring that if he let her decide, it would endear him to her even more. Not to mention the fact that it shocked his brother was an additional bonus.

"Her choice?"

Malfurion's words broke the spell that had started weaving about the pair, causing Shayl to jump slightly while the man holding her didn't bother to suppress his snarl of irritation at the words of his brother. How Malfurion could be so utterly and completely thick was beyond Illidan; but then his brother had always been foolish. Yet Illidan's attention was dragged back to the woman he held, fingers stroking across her hair with a gentleness that was not noticed by the sorcerer. But different eyes were watching and the righteous fury that had swelled up in the chest of his brother at the thoughts of the daemonic twin defiling this girl began to melt away like so much fog in the morning sun.

However, Illidan had deceived too many times, had betrayed the kaldorei race ten thousand years ago, had broken with his blood ties when he had consumed the Skull of Gul'dan. Yes, his brother had betrayed too many times for Malfurion to trust him, even if his brother was that better part of him at times. He just couldn't be forgiven so easily and especially not with what Illidan had done after he'd been freed by Tyrande; perhaps that had been the biggest kick to Malfurion's pride. His own bond mate, his love, his companion for over ten thousand years, the woman that both brothers had fallen in love with and still loved, had been the one to free his brother even knowing what he had done. Staff was pulled closer, dark green brows drawing tightly together above the lines of his nose.

The pair of lovers (or so Malfurion assumed, though the wounds on his brother's face and chest screamed otherwise or perhaps of a spat) were too intent upon one another to pay him much attention until he had spoken. But the arch druid saw the gentle, if firm, way that his twin was handling this girl who was one of Malfurion's people. Like a high-spirited mare, the girl seemed, tamed only by gentle soothing and soft touches that his brother applied. It made for a stunning display and while he studied the girl, Malfurion was struck again by the sense that he knew her, that he had seen her somewhere before. True, he had emerged from the Emerald Dream every few thousand years to check upon things, but never had he heard of a girl druid who was blind with two-toned hair. Or at least, Malfurion thought that he hadn't. Then, he spoke again and watched as both his brother and the girl jumped. Had they truly forgotten that he was there?

"Her choice?" he repeated, voice full of censure and anger. "How do I know that you haven't trained her to answer the questions for the answers that you want her to say? How do I know that she will speak truly?! You have corrupted her! She needs to be returned to her people, so that sh-"

The tall male was cut off by an angry cry as Shayl wrenched herself out of Illidan's arms, ignoring his grab at her, spitting and snarling like an angry mother night saber at the arch druid, her hands clenched into fists while bosom heaved with angered pants of sound. Quivering in furious rage that was almost never seen in the normally placid and reserved girl, Shayl spoke in such a venomous tone of voice that even Illidan reeled back, so as not to draw her ire even as his eyes were drawn to her bottom, staring at the lusciously full orbs that were set above sleek thighs.

"Returned to _your _people?! The same ones that drove me out when I was a child, drove me away for being _different? _I don't know who you are, sir, but I refuse to return to those people who hated me for being so odd! My own father didn't want me! Why should I go back to a place where I will be unaccepted, unwanted, forever shunned by everyone?! I refuse to go back!"

Panting, she fell silent and then allowed herself to be pulled back by Illidan, but Malfurion spoke up, his voice quivering with his own silent rage.

"Tell me, child. Who was your father? I shall speak with him about this when we return to Darnassus."

Illidan spoke up then, his own rumble deep in his throat as he pulled his healer close. The thought of her father, despite being unknown and faceless raising his anger, abandoning his daughter to the not so tender mercies of the kaldorei race was more then a little disturbing. How long had she suffered before fleeing? Hadn't she told him about that? Yes, Illidan remember. Yes, she had. What was it she had said..? A stir of memory of a conversation that had been held as she bathed him once, bathed him under duress and because he had not been able to bear his own stench any longer.

_**- "Tell me, girl. What was a young kaldorei druidess doing on her own in such a remote area, away from the rest of the Kalimdor homeland?"**_

_**Shayl's hand paused and she looked down at him, her eyes, those unseeing pools of amber gold, the same gold that his eyes had once been colored as, watering with tears. She didn't know how to answer at first and so, silence remained in the hut. But Illidan remained silent and watching, staring up at this odd woman of a kaldorei female. Finally, wetting her lips, Shayl began to speak in reply.**_

_**"I.. I came to live there.. because I was.. shunned, more or less, out of kaldorei society. I have been alone there for several centuries, my lord. I'm not that young.. But, when I left kaldorei society, I was very young indeed, no more then twenty-one or twenty-two. I had never been very openly accepted, partially because of my eyes and partially because I was blind, despite having such eyes. My mother died soon after giving birth to me and my father rarely interacted with me. I grew up outside of society, never truly part of it. And when it became obvious that I had druidic talents.. I was.. harassed. So, finally, I simply left, more or less to save them the trouble of telling me to leave. I wandered for many long years before finally reaching what is now my home. And I have been there since then." -**_

Shaking the memories off, he would speak at last, voice full of a deepening snarl.

"See, brother? She will not have you or your people! Your people treated her poorly for being a druid when she should have been accepted! Your people refused her for her eyes when they should have embraced her! Were my eyes not once called a mark of destiny?! Well, what of her?! No destiny for this girl who has accepted a place with me. After all.." A horrid grimace that passed as his smile, a terrible show of teeth that were sharper then the average kaldorei's and a sign of the daemon blood that flowed in his veins now. "We are all outcasts here. Besides.. what happened to our setting aside our anger for one another, _**brother**_, after I saved Tyrande for you? Or did you lie through your teeth as you say that I've done so many times?"

Malfurion was silent, his scowl deepening as he looked at them both, hands flexing around his staff. Illidan rumbled in return, the two brothers reading each other's moods with considerable ease, while Shayl sat in silent shock. Brother..? This druid was Illidan's brother? She had never thought to ask who the mysterious brother he'd ranted about in his fever dreams had been. She had not known him well enough back then to ask such a personal question. But the druid was quite aware of the growing hostility these two shared towards each other and then Malfurion spoke again, directing a new question at her.

"Tell me, child.. Who was your father? I wish to know his name for perhaps I knew him."

Thick silence in the cavern, before Shayl turned her face into Illidan's shoulder and spoke into his skin, her words muffled but still able to be heard as she dragged the name of her father up from the depths of her memory. She remembered a stern, cold voice and an uncaring nature towards her, though he had always treated her with a grudging distant affection, only for the sake of her mother. All that Shayl could remember of her was a gentle voice and warm arms and a sense of love. But Nahlia had died when Shayl was quite young, not knowing what consequences her death would cause for the young girl.

"… Axta. Axta Hawkeye. That was my father's name."

A thick inhale filled the air as Malfurion seemed to recognize the name. Yes.. Yes, he did recognize the name indeed. Fingers now were squeezing his staff so tightly that it was a wonder the wooden pole hadn't broken in his hands. It wouldn't ever break, that much Malfurion knew, but it was creaking in protest as his hands tightened even more. Casting his memory back a year and more, the arch druid remembered the man; A coldly remorseful fellow and a Druid of the Claw back in the days when there had been a distinction who had confided the loss of his wife and daughter years ago, the loss of his daughter having cut the man deeply who seemed guilty over the whole ordeal. Axta had never said that his daughter had been strong in the druidic ways or that she was blind! But Malfurion remembered the man pressing something into his hands, a carved night saber as he'd lain dying and had grabbed Malfurion as he bent over him, making the arch druid swear to find his daughter and give the carving to her, as well as his regrets that he had not been a better father.

"Your father.. is.. dead, my dear. He fell at the Battle of Mount Hyjal against Archimonde and his forces. He.. asked me to give this to you." He approached slowly and pressed the night saber into Shayl's hands, the blind girl running her fingers over it as a soft gasping murmur as a stricken look touched her face. "Your father also asked me to convey his regrets to you that he had not been a better father to you. He realized that he loved you, but only too late. You were all that he had left of your mother and his wife. Your name was on his lips as his last breath passed from his lips. He loved you and missed you, little one. I am sorry for your loss."

Pity swelled in Malfurion's breast as he watched Shayl clutch the carved animal close, tears running down her plain cheeks before harsh sobs suddenly tore out of her throat, a wailing scream coming with it. The cries of "Daddy! Daddy!" broke his heart and he bowed his head quietly, wishing that he had come to her with good tidings, of news that would have been pleasant, of her father wishing for her to come home, to make peace with his estranged daughter. Illidan was glaring at him now, he knew, even as he held the young druid close, rocking her in his arms before the glare was softened as he looked down at the near hysterical woman. The arch druid watched with shock and awe as Shayl turned in his arms, sobbing into his chest while his twin rocked her more, making soothing sounds and murmurs to her under his breath while stroking her hair, nuzzling his cheek to her crown of green. And how much more Malfurion felt sorry for the girl as he saw her clinging to Illidan; he was the only thing she had left now since she refused to return to her people with him and his brother was entirely too untrustworthy. But, at last, Shayl calmed down, shaking from shock and Illidan spoke again, his voice thick with sound.

"Brother.. I have a favor to ask of you that you might not enjoy. But.." A deep inhale as he pulled Shayl even closer. "I have a problem here. I have been pursued here by Maiev. While I had thought she was dead, the Warden turned up as a prisoner of my lieutenants. Now, I would not have had a problem with this normally, but she and Shayl had a fight and she stabbed Shayl. I am going to kill her, very slowly, but I was wondering if you would wish to preside over her trial."

Cold chills pulsed up and down Malfurion's back and he would purse his lips tightly, staring at his brother who stared back from over Shayl's head before he rose slowly to his feet. Illidan held Shayl in his arms, the girl staring listlessly into the air in front of her eyes, blindness not mattering when one was in a state of deep shock such as this. The druid himself stood, antlers scraping across the roof of the cave while Illidan's horns connected with the top harshly before he bent down to accommodate the roof, hunching down to keep from banging his head on the rock. Shuffling towards the entrance, he was followed mutely by his twin and together, the pair set out for the Black Temple, Shayl being wrapped in Illidan's wings tightly, the siblings walking along in mute silence.

"How is Tyrande doing, brother?"

Jumping in surprise at the question, Malfurion's green-maned head swiveled about as he stared at his larger twin in mute shock. Then, his gaze dropped to Shayl and Malfurion fought the urge to tear her away from Illidan and run for it. Then, he looked forward again, frowning in thought as he wondered on how to answer the question. At last, the antlered twin decided to answer truthfully.

"Busy with her fighting. She.. never has time for me, these days, it seems." A rueful chuckle that was tinged with the barest hint of sadness and regret as Malfurion spoke again. "Tyrande is dedicated to defending the realm, if nothing else."

Illidan grunted softly in reply and just kept striding along. He could have flown and had little doubt his brother could have kept up, but he wanted to walk so he could better assess his brother. How odd it was that his brother would turn up after all this time, blustering and blowing about how "the land had said it'd lost a daughter" or something along those lines. There was more to this then Malfurion had revealed and Illidan made his mind up to keep an eye on his twin. Oh, he wouldn't do anything unless he had to, but perhaps he and Illidan could work over their enmity towards one another. Malfurion was still of the mind that Shayl needed to be taken away, he could tell, but Illidan would let her go only if she wanted to.. Even if the idea of her leaving felt like an Eredar had put a fist through his chest. If the girl did indeed change her mind on going with Malfurion, Illidan would let her go. Fingers would tighten, however, on Shayl's form as he carried her and only a squeak of protest made him realize how strong his grip had become. Relaxing his fingers, he would work his jaw slightly before nodding his horned head towards the building looming in the distance.

"There it is, brother. You will be welcome to stay as long as you wish to. My men will not bother you for you are under my protection now. But do not provoke them for their hatred of your kind is strong, brother, and I've little wish to see you brought back from the dead by a priest you insulted moments earlier. So keep your tongue restrained and you will be fine."

Malfurion would normally have objected to such harsh words, but he knew the wisdom of his brother. The massive gates, made out of massive stone slabs that were thick as Illidan's body and three times his size creaked open, carved faces leering across the surface, fanged mouths and protruding tongues dominating while symbols twisted across the stone about each edge. Kael came rushing up at Illidan's bellow of sound and he looked down at him and Vashj before nodding once and then he would speak again, his voice carrying in a bellow over the courtyard.

"Listen, my people, and listen well for I shall say these words for only this one time! My brother, Malfurion Stormrage, has decided to accompany myself to my home here! He is to be given the same respect that you give me and he is not to be harmed, even under provocation, which will be returned in same! If there are any problems with him that cannot be resolved with words, you are to find me!"

A roar of assurances answered Illidan's voice and he looked grimly satisfied, before turning his great horned head downwards to the grieving bundle in his arms. Illidan ached for he could not take this pain from Shayl, even as he tried his best to understand it. The sorcerer could not remember his parents very well, nor could he truly return the manner in which his parents had died to memory. Such things were long since lost to the insanity that he had suffered under Maiev's care, for some memories were still his and others had come to him with the consumption of the Skull of Gul'dan, memories that did not belong together. Yet, both the daemon within his soul and the man he had once been, the sorcerer who had drawn the attention of Lord Ravencrest, agreed upon one thing; Shayl was.. _precious.. _to each part of him. The daemon felt drawn to her because of her power, those staggering abilities that she had no idea of, while Illidan had to admit he enjoyed the verbal sparring with her, the way she'd huff and glare towards him despite her blindness when he'd irritated her, the way she curled against him so trustingly at night when he held her while she slept, taking his own rest later when she awoke.

At his side, Malfurion only watched his brother and listened to the roar of affirmation from the naga and blood elves that he commanded. Such respect, such power, his brother held, as he had held ten thousand years back, a hundred centuries ago. Then, he followed as Illidan turned and beckoned for him to follow, which the arch druid did, staring at the flag of green hair that hung over Illidan's arm. Then, they entered Illidan's chambers and seeing a chair, Malfurion went to sit in it before he took a good, hard look at his brother, just in time to see the sorcerer fussing over Shayl as he laid her on the bed (spreading his wings to protect her modesty), covering her with blankets and bending down to kiss her head, stroking her cheek. Malfurion fell into his chair, staring in shock at his twin as his mind comprehended his actions. Illidan was besotted with the woman! And if his brother was besotted, then she must be a very special woman indeed to gain his brother's love. And no matter how much Malfurion tried to find deception in the actions of his twin, he could not. His brother was in love, and Malfurion doubted he knew it. Fingers would lay his staff across his lap as he sighed before speaking.

"This… trial, brother. When is it to take place?"

"As soon as Shayl's ready to speak against her," came the growled answer from Illidan's lips.

A preface to an execution, Malfurion knew; he had also known that his brother and Maiev had shared a hatred of one another that was too deep to be called love and not warm enough to be called hate. He had known for a long time that Maiev had loved his brother, for he'd seen it once, long ago when he'd reawakened briefly from the Emerald Dream. The arch druid had gone to visit the cage where he kept his brother imprisoned and he'd watched Maiev speak of his brother. How easy it had been to pick out the affection that Maiev held for his twin, as well as the hatred. His hands rose and he began to massage his temples before looking up as Illidan collapsed heavily into a chair nearby before glancing over at Shayl's prone form under the thick blankets.

"She will not be disturbed, brother. Believe me when I say that she could sleep through a hurricane." A grim smile, Illidan's lips twisting upwards. "She did on the voyage that took us to northern Lordaeron. Of course, it occurred after one of her healing spells upon me, so perhaps it wasn't so odd after all."

"Healing spells?" Malfurion echoed softly. "What are you talking about, brother?"

And so, Illidan explained Shayl's power in a quiet voice to Malfurion, ignoring the grumbling gasp of surprise from his twin, even if he knew that such power in a woman was to astonish his brother who seemed quite interested in learning where she got this power. Illidan did not know and even if he had, he would not have told his brother, for Shayl's power was hers alone to discover. He knew that if this girl was pushed into guidance, that she would loose this power of hers. How the man knew, how the knowledge came to him, he could only look to the guidance of Elune, with whom Illidan had found a slightly new sense of faith in for she had answered his prayer that night in the ship. Perhaps Shayl was her daughter, perhaps she had Elune's blessing, perhaps, perhaps, perhaps. The answers would elude him until such time came that he need know who she truly was.

At last, the pair set in brooding silence, brother finally in a forced peace with brother, the presence of the woman on the bed keeping them from fighting. Yet, for once, what was there to fight over. Malfurion was reflecting on all he'd been told, about Shayl and about what had happened to cause her to be wounded by Maiev. He knew his brother had never truly cared for the Warden, but then Maiev had never done much to incur Illidan's affections. She had abused his brother, that much he knew now, and had treated him as naught more then a beast who was dangerous, crushing feeling and thoughts beneath an iron-clad heel. Then there had been the matter with Tyrande once his beloved had freed his twin. Maiev had led Malfurion to believe his mate was dead and the fury he'd felt when he'd learned that Tyrande was still alive had burned in him as hotly as the molten fires of the earth and his temper had exploded in a manner similar to his brother's.

As he reflected on not only the past, Malfurion observed his brother as he studied Shayl once more as well, lifting a hand to his mouth, one finger curling across his compressed lips while the others pressed into his palm and silver eyes would narrow gently as Malfurion once again reflected on how dissimilar he and Illidan were. Where his brother had been bathed with navy hair and golden eyes, Malfurion himself had dark green hair and silver pools. Yet they had shared the same features, the same hopes and dreams, once, in those myriad and peaceful days of old. Then had come the times of chaos and they'd fallen apart. But now, his brother's chaotic, wild ways seemed to be receding, due to the influence of this unknown girl and Malfurion finally resigned himself to perhaps seeing how they interacted further. Perhaps she would be a good influence on Illidan and return him to the ways of old as Malfurion tried to remain in touch with.

Shayl finally began to stir from her languid state and Illidan was at her side in a moment, helping her sit up and he would even go so far as to bring her a fresh dress of soft white fur, helping her into it as if the woman were a child before he took her aloft in his arms once more. She merely clung to him, trusting Illidan not to displace her or drop her, and the druid seemed to be well aware of what was about to happen.

It was in grim silence that the forces occupying the Citadel assembled in the largest courtyard, Maiev being bound with her hands behind her back and tied to a post, the woman's glaring silver eyes fixated on Illidan. At his brother's side, Malfurion was frowning down at the Warden, his stern visage matching his twin's in grimness. Once more, the brothers were united in something, a way of life that had been lost to them long ago. And in between the pair, wrapped in a thick fur for she was still lacking in spirit and there was a chill wind in the air, was Shayl, the long strands of her hair blowing freely about her face and shoulders, golden eyes staring down at the former jailor with a sense of being able to see her, yet the unnerving blank stare was quiet evidence to her blindness.

"Maiev Shadowsong. You are formally charged with assault upon my healer, with intention to kill. You are also charged with imprisonment and rape, as well as physical abuse," Illidan intoned, his deep voice carrying across the courtyard. "How do you plead, Warden?"

"Rape? Imprisonment?! I was merely doing my job, Illidan! Nothing more! And.." A sneer broke its way across Maiev's lovely features, twisting them, making them, and making _her _ugly as she stared up at Shayl, tongue wetting her lips slowly. "She deserved it. I will freely admit to stabbing her. I'd hoped that I'd killed her with the wound. Obviously I'll have to aim for her heart next time."

The druid recoiled, feeling Malfurion's hand grip her arm gently while Illidan let loose with a snarl before he stepped forward, glaives appearing in his hands with a flash of green fire. For a moment, Illidan merely stood there, staring down at Maiev. In return, she kept her eyes on his face, seeming well aware of what was coming. For a moment, the two knew that in another life, another time, they may have had something more then a hateful lust towards one another. In that moment, the love, twisted and dark as it was, touched Maiev's face and Illidan nodded in return before he spoke, hands remaining at his sides for the moment.

"Then, in such words.. I find you guilty of attempted murder. Good-bye, Maiev Shadowsong. Your captive is free. At long last."

And then, with a hiss of sound, one glaive snapped across the area of Maiev's throat. A spill of dark purple hair fell upon the ground first before her head tipped forward and rolled onto the ground, coming to halt by Vashj's position before the body itself hit the ground and he turned away from it, growling in his throat. One hand would lift and a gesture was made, an arcane gesture that left a trace of power pulsing in the air. With a roar of sound, flames suddenly erupted about Maiev's body, Vashj tossing her head into the inferno. Illidan stared quietly at the flames as they consumed Maiev and when the last shreds of her body were burned away, he released a shuddering breath, suddenly aware of her absence and reveling in the freedom that came with her death. Turning, he stared over at his druid and suddenly, oh so suddenly, he wanted to be near her, alone with her, touching her.

Glaives vanishing, he went and caught Shayl up, striding into the building and the citadel, climbing the stairs and returning to his chambers. Then, he returned to the door and shut it tightly before locking it as well, turning to face the druid on the bed. She seemed to feel his gaze for one hand would lift and she smiled wanly. Illidan moved over to her and laid on the bed beside her, their mouths touching, kissing, caressing, breaths mingling together as she gave herself over to his embrace. Fingers clutched at clothing, nails dragging across skin and the two parted, returned, parted again, kisses meshing together. Shayl sensed his need for comfort, for physical contact in this moment and while it made her heart ache, she would not deny him this. Never would she deny him what he wanted. Then, at last, words that had been waiting months to come out emerged at last and she breathed them into the air as he kissed her throat.

"Illidan.. Make me yours."

* * *

And done. Wow. Holy crap. My longest chapter yet, people. Yes, the next chapter will finally, FINALLY be the smut scene. I swear to god. XD I think y'all will be happy about that. laughs And the ending to this chapter was inspired by the end of the raid result on the Black Temple. ) Only fitting that Maiev should get beheaded instead. (Yes, I don't like her. At all.)

**Illidan**- At last!  
**Shayl**- (buries her face in her hands and blushes furiously)


	12. Consummation

**Gravitation**

**Arcadia-Sama**

**Summary**- Never mind. You'll see.

**Disclaimer**- Shayl's copyright me, as is plot. Everything else, copyright Blizzard. (But I would love to have Illidan.)

**Suggested BGM** – _"Bed of Nails"- __**Alice Cooper**_

_"Life... hope... and what they bring with them..."_ _- __**Alexstrasza**_

And thank you guys, for the reviews!

**Meldiastar** - Heh. Well, here you are then.

**Draknal** - WAFF is good. WAFF is very good. And I may have taken a certain sadistic glee in killing Maiev. But we all need lemonade at some point in time. And hooked on it that bad? Well, I'm flattered.

**Baka Ecchi Kon** - (steps back so as not to get blood on her robes) Ah, sorry, Illidan's too busy torturing you, Ecchi darling. I'm not going to intervene. But maybe now you'll listen to him on the whole "Shayl is mine" thing, aye?

**SemiSane** - Sorry this took so long! (salutes) Next chapter is up, ma'am!

**Lady Kaliska** - Awr. We'll reach the BT some day! We just.. have to level. And get good gear. And pray to whatever will listen for help and guidance.

**Morbidgypsy** - No, that'd be Fandral Staghelm. (Or Faghelm as I like to call him.) Furion's stuck in the Emerald Dream.

**Akasha Dark Riddle** - Oh my gawd, I know dearest, I know. The whole Arthas-ness of it has me going "OHFUCKYES" every time I watch. I can't wait! X)

**Diminia** - Just tone it down to one or two times a chapter, okay? And on a side note.. (wallops Avar in the face because she can) Don't mess with me, bitch.

**Zukassi** - Yes, yay! XD

**Bleedndreamz** - Darling, I know who Tyrande and Furion are. I know the backstory to the Night Elves. Hell, I know the whole story despite how short of a time I've been into WoW. But maybe that'll happen. Hmmm..

**Mad screaming fangirl** - She so did deserve it.

**Rogue Paladin** - o.O Uhm.. It wasn't me. I didn't do it. (looks around, takes her leave)

**Iffymoo** - Well, here's the next update, my dear:3

**Soranda** - As you requested, I have updated! Enjoy! And yay, you like Shayl. That makes me happy!

_Author Notes_ - You know the drill with the words in Darnassian and whatnot. Check previous chapters. X3 And I wonder if anyone listens to the songs I list while reading the chapters.. And on a sidenote.. THE MASTER CHIEF IS MINE. (is now a rabid Halo fangirl)

Now, on with the show:D

Beware. Smut ahead. Heed the story's rating.

__

The man's head lifted briefly, before dipping down and lowering to her face and then there was no more need for words as they kissed, a smoldering affair that burned the blood in both of them, igniting the so-called flames of passion that raged through the body of each hotter than dragon's fire, hotter than the fire of a star, hotter than anything they had ever felt before, this exotic wealth of emotion and sensation singing them both so intently that Illidan wondered if he truly wasn't burning and if he really was still here, still alive and well and full of a living passion emphasized and brought to the fore by this simple druid beneath him.

Had anyone told the sorcerer that when he had been freed that he would find himself in the care of a druid who saw him, just him stripped of any rank or title or destiny, nothing more than a man, he would have scoffed at their words. And if they had gone on to say that this woman, this child of earthly magics, would grow closer to him as Illidan himself was growing close to her, that they would come to the point in time when they would whisper bonds of ceremony in a union that had no words, just emotions and actions, he would have slain them. A druid who was everything that he was not, one of his brother's pets, caring for him, loving him, taking him as bond mate and life mate?

Unheard of!

And yet, Shayl was unique in the fact that his brother had never laid an inquiring finger on her, training her to what her full potential could quite possibly be. She was strong, filled with raw potential, but oh so lovely for her unrefined state. Because of her lack of a childhood amongst the kaldorei people, this druid had been able to work her sight past what he showed to the world, had found the heart he had been sure was stone and had oh so gently coaxed it back to life. Tyrande had left her mark on him, had broken his heart when she had chosen his brother for Illidan had truly been in love with the priestess. And then Maiev, horrible and twisted bitch, had scarred his psyche with her cruel and barbarous ways.

Illidan refused to believe that she loved him, but he would accept the idea that she cared for him. Love scared the half-breed, even if he did care for Shayl so deeply that the thought of her leaving him when he was fully healed made him break inside and made the daemon within moan in furious despair. Neither of them wanted to ever see Shayl's backside for that would mean she was going away and his arms came about her abruptly as they kissed and he would press his face to hers, shivering softly above her as he just held her body against his, greedily enjoying the feeling of her curves and taking in the soft smell of her body.

Some little imp made him grin inwardly knowing that his brother would be having a fit later about this, about Illidan's so called "seduction of an innocent girl". But Shayl was not some naïve chit of a fledgling druid. Nay, she knew what she was doing and if there had been any hint of resistance in her body, in her kisses or touches (and he would shiver beneath the strokes of her hands across his back), Illidan never would continue. He was dangerous and more than a little insane, a power-hungry glutton, but he would never force a woman against her will. He was not that low yet, not that broken in his mind or soul or heart.

But mouths met and pressed together, her lips soft beneath his firm ones and he dug his fingers into the wealth of her hair, marveling at how it was darkest at the roots before growing so light at the ends and how soft it was, despite the heat and the dry air of this place. Her form was smooth and sleek beneath the tunic she wore, just a simple thing that should be changed out for silks and beautiful clothing and yet, while he knew that she wouldn't be comfortable at first in such things, perhaps he could fashion some armor for her as well. Head spinning deliriously, he finally began to touch his tongue to her lips, stroking the tip ever so lightly over her skin. Below, his hands were sliding up her tunic, tips of his fingers sliding along her skin before he would lean back long enough to gently work it off.

Shayl had been startled at his passionate response. But this had been inevitable, or so some would have said, those who knew them and been giving time to observe them. She laid beneath Illidan, pressing her mouth to his as they kissed each other gently at first. Her arms wrapped around his neck even as she would let her fingers slid over the cobalt strands of his mane, finding the topknot he wore and she would remove it and letting his hair cover her hands as she in turn marveled at how soft it was with the slightest hint of a coarse tone to it. Nails would press into his shoulders as they remained on the bed, his body pressing hers into the mattress.

Stroking his body, Shayl allowed her fingers to explore his body as he kissed her into a breathless state and made the warmth in her body pulse, white-hot whips of crackling heat stroking along her figure, and her leg would twine with his as she would whimper softly deep in the back of her throat, a whimper that nearly drove Illidan out of his mind when he heard it. But her mind paid no attention to the unusual contrast of his hair or the murmur of sounds in the distant background, sounds that made her pay more attention to the smell of his skin and the taste of his mouth on hers (and he tasted good, very good) and she let out another moan as his hands settled onto her body.

As a child, she had been shunned and unaccepted. Growing, she had heard a conversation between her father and her uncle, her mother's brother, talking about her, and about how Axta had so cruelly said that if Shayl had never been born then his wife would still be alive. That was perhaps the point that was etched most firmly in her mind and perhaps left the deepest and harshest mark on her. Neglect was something she had been used to, for he'd paid little attention to her when she was a child, but to hear the words that he wished she had never been born had broken the poor girl's heart who had always thought that one day her father would learn to care for her. But it was not long after that in which she had gathered up everything that she owned which was just simple carvings he'd given her over the years and her small and meager wardrobe and she would leave in the night, leaving and foraging her own way into the wilds, led to a place of her own where she stayed.

Kept sane by the animals who lived nearby, unsure of how much time passed and then Kael came and she was whisked away to Northrend to meet a man she had only heard mention of, having seen the whole horrible tragedy of the War of the Ancients and how Shayl had wept through the whole thing of watching Illidan fall in love with Tyrande, the earth showing her everything, teaching her from an unbiased viewpoint everything that had happened. She had met Illidan and learned from him and had been affected by this poor man who had always had what he had fought so hard for; neither Tyrande nor the accolades of the winning of the war, neither valor that he wished to be known for or recognition of his victories. And the abuse he had suffered under Maiev's hands, all of it had broken her heart, especially the rejection and eventual grudging acceptance of his twin. All of this and more she had taken in that first night on the shores of Northrend, the blighted soil struggling to help her to the best it could.

Perhaps she had loved him from the first time they'd spoken, even if he had been cruelly horrible to her at the beginning. But somehow, someway, they had begun to feel closer to one another. Some wise person had once told Shayl while she cared for him that opposites always attracted in nature, and what could be more opposite then a man who was a practitioner of the arcane magicks and half daemon besides, and a druid who was a true child of the land, raw potential and power of the highest druidic ways? She was no paragon of perfection, broken in her own ways and as deeply as he, but they had both been helping one another even as they had grown close in a manner that only those perhaps touched by what some called fate did, to become so close that their lives were inexorably bound together, never to be separate again, save in the event of a death.

When Shayl felt Illidan's hands slip under her tunic, she sighed into his mouth, fingers flexing and clenching briefly as he would smile against her mouth briefly as his fingers would brush across the ticklish curves of her hips and she jumped. But his hands forged upwards and onwards, pushing the loose material of her tunic up as he did so, his body hiding hers from his view and then he removed himself from above her briefly and pulled her up gently long enough to rid her of the tunic, smoothing it out before throwing it carelessly off to the side and he turned his face to her at last, drinking in the sight of her bare form, a sight he had seen before, but this time, he allowed himself to drink in every beautiful detail of her body.

She was fashioned in the ways of their people, at least, slightly so. His hands reached out and he stroked her blushing cheeks before leaning forward and kissing her firmly, thumbs stroking along her cheekbones. Then, gently, they dipped to her neck, a neck he'd wanted to wring so many times, but now, he just gently stroked it with his fingertips. Letting his fingers pressing to her pulsing neck lightly, his hands finally returned to their motions. Brushing across the strong lines of her collarbones, he would let his fingers settle upon her breasts. He'd felt one before, hidden behind a tunic, but this time, he would enjoy the texture of it.

Each luscious orb of pure feminism filled his hands to a wonderful degree, perfect handfuls for his fingers. Thumbs would stroke across the smooth skin of each breast and he heard her breathing hitch as one thumb would sweep gently along the pebbling hardness of a nipple, each peaking bud darkened by the rush of blood to the erogenous zone of her body. Then, a true gasp escaped Shayl as Illidan would bend his great, horned head and his lips parted before closing upon one firm nipple, suckling as if he were a babe again at his mother's breast. The fingers of his right hand stroked across the rounded orb that was proof perhaps of her femininity. Goblets were fashioned in the manner after a woman's breasts, or so Kael had once told his master, to remind men from where they had drawn their nourishment in the first years of their lives. And in that moment, Illidan couldn't help but bless the shape of the woman's body. But even as he paid loving attention to her breasts with his mouth and one hand, the other was busy stroking across her lower stomach.

Illidan couldn't help but let a joyous sense of exultation as her legs opened slightly, an unconscious invitation of her own desires for him. He would let his hand slide between her legs, feeling the sweet curve of her body. Silken curls stroked across the skin of his palm as his hand engulfed her groin, pads pressing between the soft folds of her sex. Pressed against her body, against her so closely that he felt like they would melt into one being, his own body burned as well with the lust he felt for her, with the deeper emotions that tied into his lust, the feelings for her that had grown in him and would always be there in the years to come when he would turn back onto these years with his mind and would once again be young with her in his arms. Her thighs opened wider as he made a simple stroking motion and a throaty moan of pure, innocent want made him shake and nearly ruin his pants, but no, not yet, not until he showed her the wonders of what could be had.

His mouth lifted and he listened to Shayl whimper under his touch. Beneath his fingers, she writhed gently as sensation pulsed between her legs, a liquid heat that spread through each limb in a languorous manner and the young druid arched her hips, fingers clutching and stroking at him, marveling at the granite-like hardness of his muscles beneath his smooth skin, the swirls of Sargeras' mark on Illidan's skin tingling as they reacted to her touch, flaring green briefly, the same neon green of her arms when she healed him, when she worked on closing the wound of his chest which was still not shut. Then, with slow, careful motions, Illidan began to kiss his way down her body, tongue flicking out to taste the salty sweat on her skin, the sweet taste of her below that and then his chin would brush across her curls, the deep green nest of hair working to only shyly hide that beautiful culmination of female mystery, the entrance to the womb where all life grew in that mysterious marvel of a woman's body which fed and held each new life in a comforting embrace, perhaps part of the reason why men still didn't fully understand them. Elune certainly knew that Illidan wasn't always able to understand Shayl but that was neither here nor there. Feeling her gasp, sensing her shudder of erotic and embarrassed anticipation and smelling her so well this close, Illidan could only plunge ahead with what he wanted.

His large hands would smooth over her hips before pulling back as he settled between her thighs, spreading them gently as he would press his face to her lower stomach, hooking each long leg over one shoulder and then slowly, his head lowered and her scent made his head spin as he breathed in the wet heat of musky female arousal and Illidan couldn't help but moan, his body aroused to a painful degree as he fought to just rip his pants off, to rear up and plunge himself into her, to have her now, fierce and hard and strong, bringing them both to a screaming culmination. But _no, _he would not do that to his healer, his druid! He would give her that exquisite pleasure that had always been due to women. One hand would come up and he heard the soft gasp of air escape her body's nether lips as he parted them and then, dipping his face forward and closer, his mouth opened and he sampled her nectar and nearly died of pure and utter bliss.

Shayl had felt his face draw close and then an abrupt cry of surprise and pleasure would shriek out of her throat when his rough tongue would find a spot in the folds of her body, stroking it tenderly and the pleasure throbbed through her form, before the breath rushed from her body and her legs would close on his head, fingers clutching harshly at his thick blue hair. Never had she thought that such a thing was possible, for a man to use his mouth on a woman and while Shayl cursed Maiev with a passion, she could not help but wonder where the Warden had learned this before passing the knowledge upon Illidan for who else could he have learned the techniques of pleasuring a woman from, if not her? But then all thoughts, all sense of higher things such as that, bled away and she twisted under his mouth with a shrill howl of pure female pleasure as he drew that spot, that compact bundle of sensation into his mouth, biting down carefully with his sharp teeth, tongue stroking firmly.

He was going to die, Illidan swore, he was going to die and go to whatever Paradise awaited him. Illidan truly hadn't expected such a passionate reaction to such a simple thing. Not even Maiev, who'd taught him everything he knew, had reacted so strongly, for her lust was not divorced of her hate. But her pleasure drew him in and he held her up to his mouth as he worked his teeth and tongue across that spot of her body while one finger would probe gently and carefully at her body. Well aware that he wore claws that could tear the delicate skin of her body if he wasn't careful, Illidan would work his finger against her body, probing slightly. Shayl quivered against the finger and he worked it into her slowly, feeling how tightly that the druid's passageway squeezed his finger. This would have to be done carefully so he wouldn't hurt her too badly. His finger slid further and worked, coming to a halt only when he felt a thin scrap of her body's innocence. Dear Elune, she was spoiled and untouched; he would have to be careful indeed. Even as he thought that, Illidan began to work another finger into her body's embrace, stretching her, preparing her, even as he suckled on the nub of her female's pleasure.

The crescendo came in slow pulse of heat and motion, but Illidan's enhanced senses caught her pulse quickening and the increased wetness about his fingers, including the wealth of heightened arousal in her scent, told him that she was drawing ever closer to that thunderous explosion of beautiful ecstasy. Shayl felt as if her body was being drawn ever so tightly, as if she were a string being pulled tigher, like the string of a harp being pulled tight, too tight. Such tension would only break soon and she twisted her body under his mouth, his fingers, and she whimpered. His mouth pursed and then he suckled harder and shifted his hand, pressing his fingers to a spot of pleasure in her body and he was rewarded with several quick gasps before a wail of female pleasure was torn from Shayl's throat as she seized and shook with orgiastic pleasure. The string had been pulled to its breaking point before being plucked once and the floodgates had opened, plunging across her form with a tidal wave of pleasure and slight pain at the sheer amount of erotic satisfaction that shook her body and Shayl sank down into the mattress as Illidan lifted his head and smiled a deep smile of purely masculine satisfaction down at her prone form.

She laid there, limp and drifting on the gentle sea of an afterglow, chest rising and falling as she would quiver and shake and sighed out a soft moan of pleasure. Long legs were pulled up slightly, left where they had fallen from Illidan's shoulders and her body was flush with heat. Illidan himself was ready to go mildly insane, but he would move to loosen the laces of his pants before simply grasping them and ripping them off. The thick tearing of the heavy cloth he wore drew Shayl's attention and she rolled over and into him, pressing her face against his chest and felt his arms come around her as he dragged her close and Shayl's face flamed black when she felt something distinctly hard pressing into her body. But this time, this time, it was her turn to explore his body with her hands and fingers. It was her time to discover and enjoy and feel and taste.

Her hands would lift and then Shayl pushed in an insistent manner at Illidan's chest, hands planted firmly against the flat slabs of his pectoral muscles, the contrast of smooth, if burn roughened skin and crisp, stiff bandages on either side making her marvel at the sensations. No one else would have noticed that faint difference between the darkened skin of his body where those marks wrapped about his torso and the rest of the skin at the level she did, Shayl knew. Being blind had some advantages. True, her body was still recovering from what he had done to her, but enough time had passed that she was eager to continue on her own grounds now, to see what it would be like to reciprocate what he had done to her.

Illidan was surprised when she pushed him backwards, but surprise melted into shock when he felt her kiss him while he laid there, the girl climbing on top of him. Her mouth remained connected to his, her hands settling on his shoulders. Broad shoulders, Shayl noted, and a firm chest. She wasn't able to come even close to wrapping her arms around him completely. Her hands began to move, exploring the swirling marks on his chest and torso, lamenting the bandages that remained in her way, even if they weren't a massive swath of white anymore. Her hands moved towards his back and he sat up, starting to quiver in pleasure the closer her questing fingers made her body come against his. Shayl's hands then moved to his wings and Illidan was unable to choke back a growl of pleasure. Intrigued, Shayl allowed him to sit up even more as she moved behind him, fingers exploring the sensitive appendages of his wings with her fingers.

Chills shivered up and down his spine as Shayl settled her hands gently between his wings, nails scraping along the slight bumps of vertebrae that were beneath his skin. Her hand moved to one wing, the druid finally allowing her hands to touch it and see what it felt like. The shivering increased and he growled softly as Shayl let her hands stroke along the leathery skin of his wings and she would smile when she found that he seemed to be especially sensitive between the second and third 'fingers' of his wing. Impishly, the druid moved her head closer and then her mouth opened and she bit down carefully on the membrane. The hybrid gasped deep in his throat and moaned loudly, hips jerking in an involuntary buck of pleasure as he tried to grab her, but she caught his wrists and pushed him back down onto his back, making Illidan nearly whimper.

Her hands returned to their course, stroking along each smooth ridge on his stomach, marveling at how well he kept his form before dipping her head down to nip teasingly at his skin, feeling his arousal pressing into her chest. Hands had been drawn downwards and she would allow her fingers to creep shyly up his thighs. Beneath her, Illidan held still, holding his breath, waiting to see if she was going to do what he thought she was and then he felt her fingers press into his pubic hair, the thick tuft of dark blue at his groin slightly coarse under her fingers. Blushing furiously, but too set in this course of action to stop, she finally allowed her hands to close about him and the man beneath her shuddered, clawing at the last of his sanity and determined not to spill himself so early.

A puff of soft air made him shake as Shayl brought her face closer to his erection, tongue wetting his lips as he tried to swallow, but his mouth was dry and every cell in his body was focused solely on her hands. Shayl had felt him limp, before, when she had bathed him more then once, and had felt how heavy he was in her hands. But this was more then she'd expected. Fingers would trace up and down the smooth-skinned cock, feeling veins beneath the surface throb beneath her palms as she kept her hands wrapped about him, feeling his heartbeat through the pulses of the veins. Then, her head moved forward and she allowed her tongue to emerge from her mouth, tasting the man who was her lover now, and perhaps more then just a lover, in a tentative manner.

He inhaled a hiss of sound before his hands moved down as her mouth kissed him and he pulled her up, his restraint so close to snapping but he couldn't help it. He _must _have her and he must have her now! Fingers would stroke her cheek as he kissed her deeply, rolling them back over on the bed as he would settle between her thighs, enjoying the erotic thrill of her hard nipples rubbing against his chest, of her groin's hair tickling his stomach before he would lift his head and he spoke in a hoarse voice, trembling and shaking with the need, the desire for her while the head of his arousal nudged against her folds, the man needing to speak.

"This will hurt, Shayl.. I'm.. sorry.."

She blinked, a reflexive motion before drawing him back down, shivering and swallowing in anticipation of what was about to happen. But she made no verbal reply to him, merely kissing Illidan and he kissed her in return, the pair shivering in mutual want and need. Then, gently, oh so gently, Illidan began to move into her, his hands gripping her rounded thighs as he kept kissing her, moaning deep in his throat at how very _hot _and how **tight **she was. Slowly, carefully, he pressed onwards, trying not to hurt her as she stretched about him to accommodate his entrance and he would pause very briefly at the barrier keeping him from entering her fully. Without warning, he pulled back and then surged forward, drawing a shriek of pain from Shayl that he swallowed with his mouth even as his body was engulfed by hers, ceasing at the hilt even as he shuddered and moaned into her mouth in turn, wiping her tears away as he shook.

Shayl had expected the pain, but not so suddenly and so sharply. But her mind was focusing on other things, such as the fact that he was in her now, all of him, feeling him as thick, white-hot warmth that burned through her body and made her want to pull him closer until they melted into a single being and she shuddered, breath escaping her in a juddering moan of sound. Fingers biting into his shoulders, Shayl felt him break the kiss to lave his tongue across her throat as he moved and sent tiny explosions of heat through her body. Nails digging harshly into his skin, she gasped sharply in her pleasure and wiggled slightly, which made him moan and move again, shifting slightly in her as he waited for her to grow used to his body in her own, but she was so tight, so wet, so hot and it was hard to concentrate when she moved like that beneath him and then she moved _just right _and all his good intentions went flying out the window.

Bodies moving, he began to move against her, hips shifting as he thrust into her, long, firm strokes while her legs were drawn up about those narrow hips of his, Illidan's wings flaring above his back as Shayl arched upwards beneath him, a cry of exultant passion escaping her throat, hands moving to grasp his biceps. Again and again, they came together, moving, kissing, pulling, touching, burning, heat, wet warmth, oh yes. Her hips rose to meet his, flesh slapped against flesh and sighs and moans provided a soft soundtrack to their lovemaking. Illidan's hands were grasping her hips, her own were grasping his arms and they came together, arching, twisting, writhing. Neither could tell where they ended and the other began, for Illidan felt tied to her, as she did to him, the two mating on a level deeper then their bodies could.

His head dipping further, Illidan's mouth would find one peaked nub of a nipple, his back arching as his wings spread even further, shrouding them both. Illidan was amazed at how passionate her response was to him, amazed and flattered and how it shook him and left him breathless was to be noted later, but now, all he could think of was continuing this and having her. Shayl in turn arched beneath him, her legs gripping his flanks tightly as she moved upwards in a wave of motion, falling down when he pulled back before surging together again, soft cries of pleasure escaping her throat as she felt herself being pulled taut again, that string of pleasure that she'd felt before starting to grow tight once more. This was so much better then the touches of his mouth and fingers and she felt him touching her beyond the physical plane and then she began to whimper and shiver, body writhing and Illidan was speaking - "Yes, my druid, yes, Shayl, come with me sweeting" - and she wanted to speak, but then she felt that snapping string deep within herself again and a scream of pleasure shook her as she broke into a thousand shards of herself, flying to the stars.

Illidan felt her shudder beneath him in her release and he felt a sense of purely masculine pride that he had brought her pleasure twice thus far and then he let himself go at last. His thrusts were hard and deep, hurting her possibly, but she held onto him with a whimpering cry of delight as he pounded into her body, his teeth exposed as he snarled and gasped for air, feeling her surround him again and again and again. Then, a shudder shook his own form and he bellowed a roar that made the room shake slightly, his hips thrusting into hers one last time as his own release came on him with such intensity that he shook with it, thick seed flowing from him to coat her womb and he remained still, wings spread and back arched before collapsing above Shayl, pressing her down into the mattress which made her squeak softly in turn. But, at last, he removed himself from her and pulled her close, kissing her forehead before rising and slipping away.

Shayl wondered what he was doing, but he was back moments later and then a hiss escaped her when she felt a damp cloth against her sore folds as he cleaned away both her blood and his seed, cleaning himself off as well before leaving and returning to the bed. Plying her with a kiss, there was no words between them, only feelings and emotions as Illidan allowed himself to enjoy the feel of her body against him at last, both of them bare and curled into one another, sighs escaping them both. But he remained awake long after she had fallen asleep, still shaken by his reaction to her. He watched her sleep, staring at her quietly, holding her close. His reaction, his simple release, had shaken him badly for he'd never felt one so strongly before, so thoroughly satisfying. But, even as he thought, Illidan found himself growing hard just by watching her and that scared him even more. He had just had her and already he wanted her again? Settling down, he just pulled her close and allowed himself to drift to sleep, his breathing low and peaceful.

__

Elsewhere in the temple, a dreamer twisted and moaned. Dreams of a peaceful land, a homeland, were changed and shattered by flame and fire, death and destruction and then an inferno roared across the land and in the dream, the man knelt to his master, shaking as he did so when that horrible voice, that twisting voice, that cruel voice spoke.

"Rise, worm. Tell me, servant. Why has Illidan not fulfilled his duties?"

"Sire, events have been changing as of late into a manner that I had not foreseen. Illidan was wounded and.." The man would explain events that had been occurring so far in calm tones, keeping an eye on his master as he spoke, concluding with, ".. So he has come to join himself with this druid."

A massive and clawed hand would lift, rubbing a chin adorned with barbs that dangled against his chest. "I see. Very well then, worm. I will be sending two of my agents to bring her to me."

"Your agents, master?" Hesitance.

"Yes, worm. And you will aid them or suffer the consequences."

And with a blast of pain and fire, Kael awoke with a cry of pain as Kil'jaeden's departure wrenched at him. Then, burying his face in his hands, he began to weep, thin shoulders shaking with the force of his crying. In their chambers, Shayl stirred, feeling something not quite right in the castle. But Illidan, woken by her restlessness, would soothe her with gentle hands and soft kisses and thus it was that a night, both joyous and sorrowful, would close upon the three figures.

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**Arc** - SMUT! YAY! And special thanks to Liz who helped me get this chapter written. She's a slave driver, she is.

**Illidan**- (purring like a fiend as he holds Shayl)

**Shayl** - (dark dark dark purple and hides against Illidan)

**Arc** - Reviews, people! Don't make me sic Illidan on you now.


	13. Destruction

**Gravitation**

**Arcadia-Sama**

**Summary**- Never mind. You'll see.

**Disclaimer**- Shayl and the dreadlords in here belong to me. Everything else belongs to Blizzard.

**Suggested BGM** – _"Broken"- __**Evanescence/Seether**_

_"I love it when a plan comes together."__ – __**Varimathras**_

_Author Notes_ – First off, allow me to apologize for how long this update took. Life happened. Then I got writer's block thanks to stress. But I've finally managed to start writing again. And I don't plan to stop until I take over the world. Or the plotline finishes first. _**Thank you all,**_ _**each and every one of you, for your reviews and watches on this fan fiction. **_They help keep me writing as an author. I _**cannot**_ express how much I appreciate the support. To have reached over two hundred reviews and over twenty-five thousand hits is something that I honestly have never expected to occur.

**Draknal** - I should hope they got what they were waiting for and that it was worth the wait. And thank you for the lemon comment. I've noticed that myself and I tried to make this as believable as possible.

**Dazja** - Daily dose of kink? Why, thank you!

**Lady Kaliska** - Pffft, you write enough smut scenes and you get over the blushing. … Should I have said that? I guess I should have said that. As for the baby netherdrake.. You and me both, yeah?

**Soranda** - Thank you! I do try to improve on my skills as I go along and it seems to be paying off.

**Goldriver Wildheart **- (grins) Aye, and it took longer this time around, but oh well, you know? Life happens.

**Zukassi**- Yep, there will be more! Much more… a whole lot more. Yupyup.

**Akasha Dark Riddle** - Down with the boomkins and up with the ferals! (cough, shameless plug) But I will admit that boomkins can hit hard.

**Bahamut Epyon** - Aye, if they made plushies they'd make so much money. xD And thanks for the love!

**Kikuta** - Awesome? Thanks. xD Better then my own opinion of them.

**Diminia** - With seniority in the fangirl world comes the ability to pick and choose, darling. I've been a fangirl for about sixteen years now with certain characters. Definite seniority. Or so one of my friends says (so pin that on her). And yes, I hit very hard. So, the Chief is mine. Sesshy.. you're gonna have to fight my girl Gaea for him. Enjoy that. As for Maiev's hair.. (shrug) I didn't want to bother looking it up in the novels, so yeah. xD

**JtheChosen1** - Thank you very much and welcome my dear to my insanity. Hope that you enjoy your stay!

**Loosecannon17** - The netherwhelps are for people who got collector's editions of Burning Crusade, honey. My brother surprised me with one for my birthday. As for the detail.. I always work for detail in my writing and yet sometimes, it _is_ hard not to go overboard. xD I can usually tell when I HAVE gone overboard, though..

**Ryu-Sama** - Yes, Illidan gave her a baby! But that's adorably cute, right? Kekekeke. And I do talk to you. And I am not a big ball of feathers!

**Pikeman9001** - Well, I wanted her dead and gone. I admit it. And here's the requested update!

**Dying paladin** - Here's the chapter so no dying on my watch! (tosses some phoenix down at, just to make sure)

**Pinecone** - Thank you, I thought so too. xD Or at least I tried.

**Thegriffin88** - Just hang onto your hat. There's more on the way.

**Bleedndreamz** - Aye, look up at the author's note, my dear.

**Adistraction** - (grin) Thank you.

**Fenrir7139** - Aye, that he does, that he does. (chuckles) Here's more and don't diss Arthas. He's mine. (tugs on his leash)

**MistressMustang** - As for what Kael's thinking.. Just read and find out, my dear. (smiles)

**Diminia** - Well, you're going to have to wait for a bit on that ArthasxOFC fanfic. Namely because I have to get this one done first otherwise I'm gonna get murdered by you people.

**Dark and Chaotic** - Yes, that's right, come over to the feral side. We're the best! … (coughshamelessplug)

**Feareth the kitty **- Adorable review. Maiev, unfortunately.. is going to be coming back later. (sob) I won't say why or how yet because that has to deal with how the story's going to be going in a few chapters. But heavens above, I've been enjoying working on this story because it's letting me twist things about in my own way while trying to keep to the current lore, which means the events in game, those four years since the end of Frozen Throne will be coming into play! As for Illidan going OOC and declaring he loves her? Are you serious? They STILL don't love one another. I.. think. Just.. dun ever toss the words 'Mary Sue' and Shayl in the same sentence at me again. X.x Ever. Please?

**ShyGirl774** - Yes, I do host this up at my deviantART account so it's highly possible you found it there. ) I do try to keep both updated!

**Libello** - Wow. Thank you. Thank you so much for that awesome review. You have no idea how much it put a smile on my face. I've been going through some tough times and reading your review just lit my day up. Thank you so very much. (Hugs) And my story is the best WoW fanfic out there? Naw.. I can hope, however!

**Kaisa Del'Armago** - Haha. Well, Shayl would not let you do that, however. ;) She's rather possessive of her Illidan and he's rather attached to her. Doesn't mean we can't dream though! Thank you!

**Vampy-Bitch** - Thanks! I'm something of an Alice Cooper fan and the song just seemed quite fitting to me for how that scene turned out. And I try to be a good writer!

Now, on with the show! D

* * *

It was the sounds of life that brought the woman lying in the bed to stir at last, limber form stretching out slowly before relaxing into the mass of heat and warmth that lay beside her, feeling one strong arm curling about her waist in a most possessive manner. But then, that was only to be expected considering the mannerisms of the druid's bedmate. A large smile was plastered on her own mouth and slender fingers would stroke across her lover's chest, feeling bandages winding their way across his torso before the man beside the woman would mumble, shift and relax once more.

Shayl could not help leaning up to press a soft kiss to Illidan's throat, her lips lingering as her tongue flicked out, savoring the taste of his skin. Her fingers would work down her lover's body and then she snuggled even closer to the man underneath the thin sheet, enjoying the feeling of her body rubbing against his now as her mouth would nibble at the sorcerer's skin. Then, a gasp and a laugh escaped her when she heard a growl and felt herself being lifted atop the large man, feeling him frowning at her even as a smile tugged at the corners of his mouth for not even Illidan could hold to his normally dour moods after such a night of kisses and gentle promises and words that had never been spoken and yet had passed between them with promises of forever. Then, Shayl leaned down, her long hair brushing across his face, mouths meeting and touching and kissing before parting and touching and kissing again.

"Mmm.. good morning, Illidan," she whispered to him softly, her face nuzzling his now.

"And to you. Woman, could you not have let me sleep longer? I was having a good dream," Illidan said, shifting his body to imply exactly what kind of dream he was talking about.

Shayl sighed in pleasure as she felt the warm hardness of a certain part of his body rubbing against her own and then she couldn't help the smile that tugged at the corners of her own mouth now, a wicked grin touching her face as she spoke in teasing tones. "Sleep longer? Why should I have done that? Or are you just so old that you need more sleep then me?" A chuckle of sound escaped her now, the druid stretching out before shrieking as she suddenly found herself pinned beneath Illidan.

"Old, am I? Old? Well, then I suppose I'll have to adopt a cane and start hobbling around to prove that I'm old," growled the large man in reply, a smirk cutting across his face as he began to nibble at her neck. Illidan smirked even as his body started pressing against hers now as Shayl moaned in gentle pleasure, her hands pinned over her head by his, leaving her helpless and under his mercies.

Yet, just as they started to enjoy one another, a knock echoed from the wooden door into the room and Illidan growled as Kael's voice interrupted them and Shayl would laugh before she would push at his chest gently, sitting upright as she did so. She couldn't stop herself from wincing in pain and pressing her hand to her stomach, blind gaze turned downwards before a sigh escaped her when Illidan's hand snaked under hers, the man drawing her close and into his lap with a wing, nuzzling his face to her hair as he spoke into it, a frown on his well-shaped face.

"I'm sorry I hurt you-" started the apology before Shayl shook her head some, turning to press her fingers to his mouth.

"Do not be. I would not have traded last night for anything else in the world, Illidan." A smile graced her lips now as she looked up to him.

Then, she rose from the bed and Illidan could not help but reach out and pull her close, resting his head against her chest as he sighed softly, his hand stroking up and down her back. Her arms would go about his shoulders and neck, her own hand stroking his freed hair before the druid pulled away with a murmured "You should see to Kael" as the prince knocked the door again, turning to head into the bathing chamber that sat off the main room. Closing the door, she walked slowly and carefully to the sunken bath, moving carefully down the stone slope that led into the large pool of water. Sighing in pleasure as the warmth of the water began to soothe her sore muscles from their ache, Shayl would tuck into a corner and rested her head against the cool stone of the floor, lips being licked quietly.

Outside in the master bedroom, Illidan stared after her, more than a little tempted to go after her and join her. But the man would snarl when the knocking came again and he would jerk his pants on now, tying them shut before rising to his hooves and stalking over to the door, yanking it open and he would simply glare down at Kael who gaped up at his master - and with good reason! For, although Illidan couldn't see it, he had the marks of a man who had definitely spent a night of passion with a lover. Scratches decorated Illidan's chest and shoulders, a large hickey adorned his neck and his hair was rather tangled looking. Kael bit back a howl of laughter as he kept looking the larger man over, staring at the way the half-daemon's clothing was rumpled as well before sneezing delicately at the musk of spent sex that assaulted his nose; at least he refrained from wiping it.

"Pardon, my lord, for you know that I would not disturb you unless I had a good reason. Your brother has been demanding to see you as soon as you awoke and had finally threatened to come up here and disturb you and the lady Shayl himself if you did not come to see him soon."

Illidan could not help the growl that escaped him, pools of smoke flaring a bright greenish-gold as anger prickled up his spine. He could very well guess what his brother wanted to speak to him about. Even as the thought registered in his mind, a splash in the bathing room caught his attention and he turned to study that door, Kael being given a brief moment of insight into his master's thoughts. A look of longing and happiness touched Illidan's face briefly and he could not help but notice that some of the lines that had been carved on the half-breed's face were gone now, vanished from view. But then the large man sighed and turned back to Kael to study him quietly it seemed before he would growl and curl his hands into fists now, nails digging into his palms until blood was drawn by the sharp points and he would lift his head, shoulders being thrown back.

"Very well, Kael. Inform my dear brother" - a grimace - "that I shall be down in minutes."

Kael nodded his head slowly before he would turn away and he headed down the hall, his face dropping into severe lines as he descended the stairs from the tower, moving with slow, purposeful steps as he entered the main audience hall where some tables were set up, some of the men in the temple enjoying a late dinner and others an early breakfast for there was always a guard patrol on duty for this realm was not meant to be lived in and they had to deal quite often with attacks on the temple from the local wildlife. And lately, Kael's senses had been prickling as if some door were opening somewhere in this godforsaken land, a door that could never be closed. And once in the audience hall, he looked about before locating the arch druid seated at a table, eating slowly of the meal he'd been given.

"My lord will be down soon to speak with you, lord Stormrage. He is merely getting-"

"Getting what?" growled Malfurion. "Getting ready to what? Seduce that girl again? Ravish her? Turn her against what should be her proper path?!"

Kael blinked once before cold anger empowered his words, his normally infamous temper burning brightly as he spoke now. "My lord, I'll ask you just this once to keep your tongue to yourself. The lady Shayl has been fully aware of what our lord has done in the past and she accepted him despite that. So be silent and sit still until my master comes and speaks with you!" Turning on his heel, he marched out of the main chamber, not having seen Illidan standing nearby and listening. But at last, the half-breed began to approach his brother, a scowl forming on Illidan's features for he had also heard what Furion was saying of Shayl.

"You wanted to speak with me, brother?"

The arch druid lifted his head, staring at the rumpled form of his twin and he could not help but notice that there were lines missing from his brother's face nor could he miss the fact that Illidan had a sense of happiness. But that did not excuse the fact that the lover of his twin was a druid that had been driven out by her own people and should have been allowed the chance to return. Furion would simply shake his head from side to side before speaking, voice vibrating with a calm sort of fury that emphasized his foul mood.

"Yes, I did. It concerns Shayl, Illidan. Exactly what are you planning to do with her?!"

"Do with her? What do you mean by that?" snarled Illidan, the twin pools of yellow smoke that served as eyes in those empty sockets starting to glow brightly behind the dark cloth he wore about his head.

"How long are you planning on jerking her emotions around like this? Have you no sense of shame or mercy for the poor girl? I am quite aware of what you and she have done and I cannot help but condone such an act! You will break her heart, brother, and who shall pick up the pieces of what you will do to her as a result? Have you thought about what is best for her? I will not see you do any harm to this young woman!" the arch-druid growled, his own antlered head lifting high as he would plant his staff firmly against the ground.

Illidan could not speak for several moments, his breathing coming in swift, sharp gasps as he fought to keep from lunging at his brother and punching him in the face, although it was oh so very hard indeed. But the temptation to do so was etched upon his face for he would see Malfurion take a step back from him, lifting the staff in a defensive manner before he would snarl at his druidic twin and words would spill past Illidan's lips in a furious torrent of anger and sorrow, oddly enough, for this was a confrontation that had been brewing over several long years.

"You say that you do not want to see any harm come to her?! What is it about me, my dear brother, that you cannot see me happy at all?! Was it not enough that Tyrande chose you over I for her mate? Was it not enough that you were given the credit for saving our people when both you and I did so?! Was it not enough that I had to suffer under the hands of that wretched bitch Maiev for ten thousand years?! And now you come and tell me that you will not let me HARM Shayl?! Well, I will not give her to you, brother! She chose me, willingly, despite knowing who I am and what I have done! Do not dare to presume that you are protecting some naïve innocent from my clutches! I leave the choice to her on whether or not she wishes to stay or go!"

The half-breed of demonic energies and elfish origin would fall silent now, his chest rising and falling as he panted, making the bandages that still wrapped in a smaller swatch about his chest flex with each inhale, loosening over the exhales as well and then Illidan growled at his brother's silence, seeing Furion studying him with a thoughtful stare. That stare did not bode well for him, or so the hybrid felt and he would give his horned head a shake, sensing more than smelling the presence of Shayl nearby and turned to see her staring at them both, features twisted into a composed sort of fury as she would stare at the arch druid with a look that could have flayed flesh from bone. Moreover, honestly, Illidan always thought she looked her best when she was furious; perhaps that was why he had a habit of teasing her mercilessly, even now. Yet, he could not help but ease back and out of the way as Shayl came between the twins, scowling up at Malfurion so fiercely that Illidan actually sympathized with his brother, just a little.

".. How dare you," Shayl hissed softly, her blind stare pinning the druid in place as parted lips exposed her teeth. "How dare you presume such things about Illidan and I! Yes, he had his people abduct me, take me from my home, but I have come to have my own place and home here! I will not leave him and you! You!" A stab of a finger into Malfurion's chest. "You simply need to hoist yourself and shove that staff of yours where the light of Elune certainly does not reach!"

Shayl was in fine, rare form and she looked ready to go after the throat of the stunned druid before her, and then she felt Illidan's hands settling upon her shoulders, his touch soothing and restraining her from lunging forward and upwards. Now Illidan had to keep in mind that Shayl was, while a bit small and diminutive, she was quite a formidable woman when riled up. In addition, let any divine power try stopping her when she ever actually got mad. Really, one could _almost _call it cute. That is, someone who was not having a force as unstoppable as an avalanche bearing down upon them. Well, that was really a rather nice way of putting things because, after all, Shayl was truly a force of nature seeing as how she was a druid and druids were, quite literally, forces of naure.

Yet, the mood that crackled in the air was distinctly unhappy and the blind female was glowering before she would turn about and do something that really was quite charming. Reaching up and grabbing Illidan's head by the horns (for he was taller than she was, true, but she could still snag his horns) and the slender woman would lift herself up while hauling his head down, pressing her mouth quite securely against that of the half-breed. A muffled oath of surprised acceptance met her mouth and then Illidan's arms were wrapping about her as he lifted her upwards and against him, returning the kiss with a forceful passion that had Malfurion politely averting his eyes from the pair before finally glancing back when the couple broke their kiss.

Shayl, removing herself from Illidan's grasp, would scowl at the arch druid before the young woman flounced off with a jaunty air to her, humming loudly as she did so. The brother stood together in silence, Illidan with a smirk on his face and Malfurion with a faintly embarrassed grimace before the half-breed began to turn to his brother. The sorcerer stopped, sniffing at the air and his smirk faded as a frown took over his expression now, the large, horned hunter lifting his head to sample the air like some kind of dog or cat it would seem as he tried to grasp the whisper of fel energy he felt curling in the air. It had been just a brief whisper, but the sheer _power_ that had come with it was what caught Illidan's attention. But finally the hint of it was gone and he stood there, silent, before turning at last to his smaller brother for Illidan had grown to stand over his twin with his consumption of the Skull of Gul'dan.

"You are free to stay here as long as you wish, brother, and you may make your attempt to persuade Shayl to come with you. But I promise you now that you, nor anyone else, will ever take her from me. I would die before I allowed such to occur. I have been thinking of asking her to be my lifemate." Studiously, Illidan ignored Malfurion's gasp at that point. "I know that I will keep her about, simply because she has managed to heal this wound that none of my priests were able to heal. I damn near died thanks to that wretched blade wielded by that human!"

Once more, Illidan felt the cruel blade of Frostmourne cutting across his body, a strong blow having cut into his body in a diagonal slash that was still healing, even now. There was a small ridge of scar tissue that would be left, a permanent reminder to the half-breed on how close he'd come to dying and would have died if not for Shayl's ministrations to his body. However, even the mighty sorcerer was unable to remember that blade without a shudder of fear as he remembered how the foul magic laid on Frostmourne had almost severed his soul from his body. Illidan half-suspected that it was his daemonic side that had helped him endure and survive the near-loss of his soul. But for long days, he had been separated from his body, cast adrift.. somewhere. Shuddering and shaking his head, he would touch his hand to the spot where the scar stood out upon his body and Illidan's large wings flexed before Malfurion spoke up at last.

"I know, brother. I.. felt it."

As only a twin could feel it. Despite the pair being polar opposites, in personality and power, in choosing their path to walk upon, in their ways of doing things, Malfurion and Illidan, however much they denied it, were still brothers. In times of great stress, as the pair had demonstrated when they worked together to rescue Tyrande, they were still bound by a bond of blood and soul. But in this moment, Malfurion admitted quietly that he had felt the almost-loss of Illidan, had nearly lost that part of himself. Although they certainly did not get along (heaven above knew they were barely civil), the brothers could not deny that bond that still lingered between them. But years and emotions still held a strong barrier between them that would not be easily torn down, if ever truly hewn through at last. Yet, the archdruid studied his twin now with a quietly thoughtful manner, never truly having seen Illidan in this light or this manner before. One hand gripping his staff, the curling leaves and vines that wrapped the gnarled wood lengthening and spreading wider with his mood, Malfurion's other hand came to stroke the luxuriant beard of green that extended to cover his chest. It was a thoughtful gesture and he held his silence before speaking up once again.

"Very well then. I shall stay here for a time, if only to observe you and Shayl both. But brother, I can sense her potential. And the fact that she was able to heal a wound not just of the body, but of the soul as well, speaks volumes for her-"

Malfurion stopped as Illidan lifted one large hand upwards in silent entreaty, the look on the face of the half-breed stopping the druid in his tracks. It was a hard look, a cold one that warped Illidan's face to be rough as stone and just as unreadable before the hybrid spoke at last, his voice a low rumble.

"No, my brother. Though she might have raw potential, Shayl does not know of it. I think that she uses her own life energy to be a focusing point for her odd healing technique. It is druidic magic, I think, but I am uncertain. Shayl does not stop with the healing process until she is faint and wilting against me, ready to pass out. Always, she sleeps for long hours afterwards and she eats heavily too, but I cannot say if training would help her or not. And I do not even know if she would accept such training. She dislikes kaldorei, remember?"

Of course, such dislike was understandable when one considered her background. Then, without further word to his brother, Illidan swiveled about and stalked in the direction that Shayl had gone, telling himself that he was going to make sure that she hadn't killed anyone yet. Of course, he had almost never seen her so angry unless one counted her arguments against him. Illidan certainly did not. But something caused him to stop, legs growing still as he paused in midstride, once more catching a hint of fel energies in the air, the daemon within his soul stirring briefly as a result. It was just another quick whisper of such a sensation, but Illidan finally passed it off as nothing more than the aftermath of a spell. And as a result, he never noticed the duo of tall, almost unearthly beautiful blood elves standing apart from the rest of the hall.

There was something strange about these two, however. True, at first glance they looked to be merely a pair of blood elves, one with dark red hair and the other with silver locks, and both clad with the almost characteristic green eyes of a blood elf now; but these two were no more blood elves then a naga was a human. Something about them seemed to divert the eyes as well, almost as if there was something about the two that made eyes turn away from them and refuse to look upon them. Even the sunlight from a narrow arrow slit up above seemed to work about the pair, as if it were afraid to touch them. There, on the floor, was a flash of what these two things truly were. It was nothing much more than a hint of curving horns upwards or a twitching talon or a flex of a wing that would betray them if anyone looked too hard at their shadows.

"You saw her, brother?"

They were cold words, harsh words. Words that made the very air about them almost seem to curdle as the voices were certainly kept low, guttural tones passing between the pair in lieu of actual phrases and sentences.

"Yes. I can see why Illidan would choose her for a bedmate. She has a certain spice to her that will be delicious to remove."

More words, warmer then the first voice, but crueler for that warmth. That was a voice that had whispered in ears of countless worlds, bending them through clever manipulation within manipulation to the Burning Legion; it was a voice that could have made a mother give up her child to an axe murderer, really.

"No, my brother. That is for lord Kil'jaeden to attend to."

The second speaker fell silent with nothing more than a grunt of mild protest; yet, as much as Ichondrius could gain pleasure from drawing out that woman's soul, manipulating it with as much deft ability as a master mason with a block of marble, he knew that Dathrizar spoke the truth of things. They were here to collect the woman and bring her to their lord and master. No matter how much temptation made them want to turn to their own pleasures, the loyalties that bound them to Kil'jaeden, loyalties that came from fear and hatred and a dozen other things, prevented that.

"Very well. When shall we take the girl?" inquired Ichondrius as he turned his eyes to his "sibling"; certainly not brood mates nor anything else, they were siblings insofar only that they were of the same race. But he stood there, patient as stone as he waited for an answer.

"Soon, my brother; have patience until then. But it will be very soon indeed. I can promise you that." Dathrizar was confident in his words and actions and he didn't need to look at his companion to see the slow, thoughtful nod.

"They might come after us.. Especially Illidan. I would not want to be caught on the wrong side of him at all," Ichondrius cautioned as he turned his eyes onto the disguised Nathrezim at his side. "If he should come after us, brother, what are we to do then?"

"If that should occur, my brother, then we will not need to bother keeping him alive. Now then, I have been informed that this druid spends her days tending to a garden. Perhaps it is the only thing that she does about here. It is passing strange that they tolerate her," came the thoughtful murmur from Dathrizar's mouth. "If she were not under the protection of Illidan, I have to wonder how fast that the naga and sin'dorei would tear her apart."

Silence fell between the pair as they brooded together, thinking and plotting intricacies within intricacies as they tried to think of a way to get Shayl to their master without alerting Illidan or his brother to her missing presence. But the answer would not come easily to the pair and as they knew they must, the pair of nathrezim departed from the hall where they would pretend to be part of the residents of the Temple. And so it was that the two decided to wait and watch and learn what could be learned from observation, needing to see how they could work this out and gain their master's approval without drawing too much unwanted attention to themselves.

And what they learned could be called startling, to some. Though the sin'dorei and naga did not like the druid overly much for her being a night elf, there was a quiet sense of respect for her that ran in strong currents through the Temple. True, very true, that there was an inherant dislike for her because of the kaldorei heritage that Shayl represented in a stark reminder to both the blood elves and naga as to their ancestry of many generations ago. Primitive and wild, she was everything both races were not. Where there was refinement and culture amongst the sin'dorei and amongst the naga, they were bestial and ferocious, the kaldorei were a blend of both. Shayl, however, was more rustic than most in a manner of culturally speaking.

As the pair remained at the Temple, they tried to discern a feasible pattern for Shayl's movements. Yet, that was hard for Illidan and she would vanish at random times and the sounds of passion would emerge from one part of the Temple or another if they were within hearing distance and Illidan's roaring would always mark the end of things. Perhaps it was fortunate that Shayl was blind for rumors flitted about the Temple for more then once, some roaming naga or sin'dorei had come across the pair in the midst of passion. The first time, a mage had found Illidan pinning Shayl to the wall with her legs wrapped around the hybrid's waist while the movements of their hips made what was occurring all too obvious. How strange had it almost been to see his hands beneath Shayl's rump as he held her up, teeth working against that smooth neck and to see, if only very vaguely, the thrusting of his body against hers. Perhaps it was the sexual passions that flowed through the air or it was the way the two were so focused upon one another or the raw honesty that was exhibited, but the mage had stood and watched with shock until Illidan's head had turned and those glowing spots that passed for his eyes moved in a manner that could only be called narrowing dangerously and that had been her cue to leave.

With the observation also came much better understanding of Shayl's nature. Nurturing, yes, strong, yes, and with a definite maternal streak that aided in her nature of being a healer, a plan began to form between them that would play on that very nature. Time passed, perhaps a week to a fortnight at the most before they finally implemented their plan. And that was when everything began to fall apart for one very unsuspecting druid. Shayl had been working in her garden, tending to the plants she had been coaxing to blossom into life. More plants had been growing along other areas of the Temple, yet there was only so much one (or two, if one counted Malfurion) little druid could do when faced with a structure that was soaked in fel energies from years of corruption. Perhaps one day, with enough effort and patience, she would leave the place filled with life when hers might end. Yet, this day, she was working beneath the awning along one of the walkways when she heard a gentle voice nearby speaking to her.

Later, Shayl would never be able to remember exactly what the voice said to her. All she knew was that she needed to go somewhere with this person to take care of someone outside of the Temple. The exit from the massive bastion of the Temple was cleverly orchestrated by Ichondrius as he took the woman with him and so it was he met up with Dathrizar a good way from the Temple near the crystal fields that were watched by several of the netherdrakes that circled overhead. But there was a sense of danger in what they were doing as well for as they had both observed, Illidan had a strange knack for knowing where Shayl was at most times. So it was the pair began to usher Shayl away from the Temple, well aware they were living so to speak on borrowed time.

Back at the Temple, Illidan's head whipped upright and he absently jumped out of the way of the swiping blade from the spellbreaker that was watching him before his lips suddenly curled back from his mouth as he sensed Shayl not in the temple. But even more alarming to him was the feeling of fel energies that were with her. Those energies stirred the beast within and he would spread his wings before launching himself suddenly into the air, that large span flapping as he angled himself upwards, lips peeling away from his teeth as he left the training ground without warning.

It did not take long for the pair to notice the presence that was Illidan moving towards them and so it was they shed the flimsy illusions of being blood elves with ease. Ichondrius's coloration was an orange-red shade while Dathrizar was more along the lines of black. The first of the two flung Shayl over his shoulder as his wings spread and the night elf began to break out of the daze that had filled her mind. Small fists began to beat against the back of the nathrezim that held her and she let out a scream that was echoed by a distant roar from above before there was a thud as Illidan's body impacted the ground, leaving a shallow crater beneath his hooves. Already, his warglaives had come to his hands and his head lifted to stare at the daemons that stood there, both staring at him and only those who knew Illidan would have recognized him going pale beneath the dusky shade of his skin.

"Ah, Illidan, we were wondering when you would arrive," Dathrizar murmured, flexing his hand in a casual manner to display the threat of those long black claws that erupted from the lines of his fingers. "After all, we could feel you coming. But _our _master wishes to meet with this woman of yours and we know that what our master wants, he shall get."

Horror lanced through Illidan at the implications behind the words of the nathrezim that stared at him, horror at what Kil'jaeden would do to Shayl if the eredar got his hands on the druid. Illidan knew that if this scheme succeeded and his druid was taken before the monstrous general of the Legion, Kil'jaeden would break her. He would twist her, mold her and change her until there would be nothing left of this smiling, gentle woman whom had begun to heal the wounds that had twisted his heart. Where there had been a bastion of cold loneliness before, he had opened his heart to her slowly, allowing her to begin bringing him back to life. But that would all be dashed to pieces if that foul daemon was given that beautiful druid and Illidan could only wonder who had betrayed them.

Tension was thick in the air as Shayl struggled on that shoulder and let out several expressive curses as she tried to figure out where she was. Her head was spinning wildly and her senses recoiled as she felt the curdling sensation of fel energies and magics around her body. They were not like the comforting, if dangerous air that Illidan would put off around her. No, the feeling from these two unknown presences was something darker and more insidious and crueler then anything that her lover had put out. And then the druid paused and calmed when she felt Illidan nearby, knowing that he was near enough to keep her limp enough to cope with what she was feeling. Then, a low, guttural snarl was the only warning before one long ear would twitch suddenly at the sounds of bodies colliding together.

The fear and anger that had filled the sorcerer had reached its breaking point and spreading his wings wide open, Illidan snarled and threw himself at the dark dreadlord that stood before him without warning. Dathrizar's hands came upwards and his claws would block the blow. To any observer that had seen those claws, one could have called them thin black shards of glass. At a casual glance, those nails were nearly able to be named delicate, if not for those lethal points. By all rights, Illidan's blow should have shattered those nails and hewn the black-shaded nathrezim in half. But sparks were thrown up as Dathrizar used his nails as a shield with one hand, the scraping along the edge of Illidan's blade grating to hear as it set the sorcerer's teeth on edge and the dreadlord brought his other hand around, claws swiping at the half-breed who let out a roar as they sliced across his side, exposing muscle to the air.

Illidan's other blade swiped forward, aiming for Dathrizar's neck even as he would leap back and out of the range of those deadly nails. But the dreadlord moved after him, slicing again at the half-breed and Illidan's hands would bring the blades about to bear, barely able to block the blow. On the sidelines, Ichondrius would stare with cold intent at the battle as the massive half-breed and the dreadlord continued, the pair trading blow after blow, but there was a slight advantage in the fight on the side of the nathrezim. He was older and far more experienced and his opponent was wild with anger, which caused Illidan's blows to miss half the time.

Ichondrius was a patient daemon but not always and watching his brethren toying with the sorcerer who had betrayed their master was irritating to him. His attention had been consumed by the fight and not so much was given to Shayl. The druid would twist before her body fell to the ground and she came up, body starting to warp into that of a feline before Ichondrius's hand would slam against her head, sending her flying to collide with a sickening thud against one of the crystals and the dreadlord would turn to his brother with a bored air as he spoke up.

"Do hurry this up, brother. Our master is growing impatient and wishes to see this woman," the yellowish dreadlord said as he walked to pick Shayl's limp body up. But as Ichondrius bent over her, he felt a sudden and powerful sense of danger behind him and straightened slowly to glance over his shoulder towards Illidan and his brother.

Illidan's mouth had opened in a silent scream of angry denial when he saw Shayl's body collide with the crystal and he would shake his head, denying it, but when Ichondrius touched his druid, the anger broiled over and Illidan would throw his head back with a loud roar of sound. The beast roared to life within him and power erupted from the half-breed. The sorcerer's hands opened wide as the glaives would drop away and his wings spread wide open, teeth being bared as he roared again. Shadows began to warp up and along the massive form, spreading to cover his entire body as it grew larger. His horns increased in size while his entire body grew larger and his spine elongated into a tail that whipped back and forth behind his body. Red had replaced the golden smoke of his eyes and the half-breed's jaws worked, his fangs gleaming with an oily black shine. Even his wings had grown larger, shadows swirling beneath the webbing and drifting down towards the ground to pool around his body. His claws were lethally bright and his hooves were burning the ground, green-orange flames licking at the dirt that was beneath him. The strained fabric of his pants ripped and split beneath the increased size of his body, tearing open to reveal blackened flesh upon his thighs. Slowly, those lips parted and a low, guttural growl of a voice emerged from Illidan's mouth as his gaze would fix itself upon the frozen dread lords.

"Neither of you are as strong as Tichondrius was. This will be not any trouble at all."

Then, Illidan moved without sudden warning, his hands coming up to seize Dathrizar by his throat. The daemon within Illidan had been roused by the threat that was directed towards his mate. True, Illidan's mind on a conscious level had not quite been accepting of that fact, but the bestial side of himself was wholly possessive of the druid, attached as he was to her. Though the dreadlord moved, leaping out of the initial blow, the transformed half-breed's claws would slice across the dreadlord's chest, drawing black blood. An eye for an eye, after all, and there was quite a bit that Illidan felt he needed to level out.

This development was completely unexpected! Neither Ichondrius nor Dathrizar had anticipated the sudden change that had occurred with their target. Their lord was not going to be pleased about this and Dathrizar would settle down on his own hooves, clawed hands working as his yellowish wings would spread in a defensive gesture while his head turned towards his brother who was also staring shock at the transformed sorcerer. They had heard that this male had consumed the skull of the warlock Gul'Dan but never had they imagined that it had been blessed with such power that was only augmented with Illidan's own innate ability with the arcane powers. Then Illidan's body moved again and he leapt at his opponent with a howling snarl, teeth bared to the air while his wings propelled him forward with a greater rate of speed. This time, his claws closed upon Dathrizar's body and a cruel smile touched Illidan's mouth as he began to call on an ability that had not been touched in such a long time.

Ichondrius stared on in an emotion that he could only have described as horror as a sudden and terrible shriek erupted from Dathrizar's mouth and he spasmed in Illidan's grasp from where his head was held between those hot palms. Slowly, the skin of Ichondrius's brother began to draw tight over his body, the white starting to turn black as it would peel away from where those flexible lines of flesh marked his lips. Smoke began to emerge from his eyes and ears, curling outwards from the sockets and his ear's holes while the skin turned even darker, blackened from the rampaging energies that were being consumed by the half-breed holding onto him. Those onyx and amber eyes would bulge outwards in pain from that continued drain of energy as the vampiric-like fangs that characterized their race gleamed brightly against dark gums as his mouth opened wide in silent agony. Dathrizar's hands came up, whether to stop his attacker or to try getting a blow in as a final act, Ichondrius knew it would never be clear for they fell away as Illidan continued to draw in the magical energies that supplied the nathrezim. The flesh over the horned skull grew tighter and tighter, exposing his lips and gums to the air while his wings began to split and peel upwards along the bones that had supported the leathery webbing, leaving them stripped of the covering flesh. Before his brother's eyes, Dathrizar slowly became nothing more then a husk that was left barely alive as he stared up at Illidan with a burning stare before the daemonically transformed sorcerer pressed his hands together and like an egg, that skull was crushed. Blood and brains squirted out from between Illidan's fingers in thick lines of dark ichor, shards of bone cutting into the transformed man's hands.

As Illidan let the lifeless husk drop to the ground, it burst into flames at a simple twitch of his clawed finger as he turned to Ichondrius and his lips peeled open as the more powerful and transformed half-breed stared at the darker daemon that stood before him and then that guttural voice emerged again from Illidan's mouth.

"I will give you a single chance to flee, daemon. Give Shayl back to me and I will promise that your death will be swift and painless."

Ichondrius stared with his dark grey eyes at Illidan before he suddenly dropped Shayl's body to the ground and leapt into the air at the same time. Self-preservation and the sense of coming first were all too common amongst their race, where one of their people would happily backstab one another, just to claw out an edge in power. Already, he was shooting upwards towards the sky to escape and that was his mistake. Below, Illidan had moved, catching Shayl and easing her down to the ground before his head lifted to stare up at the dreadlord who was attempting to flee the area and those dark wings spread open, shadows flooding down to pool across the broken ground and then he threw himself upwards after the daemon.

Pain exploded through the nathrezim as he gagged and choked, gasping for air that was being funneled through only one lung. Shards of bone protruded out of the pale chest, armor bent outwards as well around that massive wrist and the long, large fingers that held the twisted black muscle of his heart in a tightly clenched grasp. Illidan's growl resounded in the nathrezim's ear, the last sound that the daemon would ever hear upon this plane of existence before the claws upon the transformed sorcerer's right hand would dig into the dreadlord's back while Illidan's fingers crushed the heart. At the same time, his other hand would rip the upper half of the body hanging from his arm off from the lower half, letting the hooves and legs and lower torso drop towards the ground even as Illidan consumed the released magic.

Despite the monstrous appearance of his body, those hands were gentle as Shayl was lifted into his arms and that caress careful so as not to mar her skin with scratches. The emotions were full of gentle worry as the dark head lowered closer and for once, Illidan was thankful that Shayl was blind though he knew that she had been growing to resent it. Unlike Illidan who had a variation of a form of sight, she was wholly and utterly blind and until she had learned her way about the Temple, it had not been unusual for her to walk into a wall or door or to even take a tumble down the stairs, thought that scenario had thankfully happened only about three or four times until Shayl had finally begun to rest a hand on the walls where she could. But now, for all his power, Illidan felt utterly helpless as his lover remained limp in his arms and he stared down at her before spreading his wings and lifting upwards and he cradled that fragile body close to his chest. Worry filled his mind up as did a dreadful realization.

He had to let Shayl go.

If he wanted to keep her safe, he had to let her go.

Kil'jaeden knew about her and that scared Illidan even more then the realization that he cared for Shayl in manners that were far too complex for him to name. As he flew along, his arms instinctively curled more tightly about the slender body of the druid and Illidan's mind broiled with myriad thoughts and emotions that were both addictive and bitterly cruel at once. The affections he had felt towards Tyrande had been love, yes, but what he felt towards Shayl was like comparing a feeble candle's light against a blazing star. Starfire was what burnt him every time he made love to the druid and it was making love regardless of what anyone else would say. His progress back was slower then his departure had been from the Temple and he came to settle in the courtyard easily, ignoring the expression of disgust that decorated Malfurion's face. After all, his brother couldn't seem to accept that he was now partially daemonic from the consumption of the energies of the Skull of Gul'dan. Lifting a careful hand to the unblemished line of the lavender cheek of Shayl's face, he touched it gently and that seemed to be Shayl's cue to stir for she made a low moan in the back of her throat that had Malfurion hurrying over.

"Illidan..?" came the almost sleepy murmur of Shayl's voice as she would turn her face up towards his. It was almost baffling how she always seemed to know where he was when he was near her or that she knew who he was even in a crowd of people. Her blind eyes would flutter shut now as Malfurion laid a gentle hand on her brow, soothing away the damage that had been inflicted by her slam into the crystal with a simple healing spell.

Shayl's hands lifted upwards to Illidan's face and her fingertips made contact with his cheeks before his head moved out of her touch as he gently eased her down to the floor of the courtyard, holding her against him with one large hand. Where Illidan's hand normally covered only part of her back, his massive paw now nearly covered her torso and Shayl's head rested lower on his chest as she leaned against him. Something was not quite right about her lover, but she was unsure of what it was. All she knew was that Illidan felt different. Strange and more dangerous, yes, but she wasn't afraid of him.

For a few brief moments, Illidan allowed himself to enjoy the touch of her body against his even as the energies from the transformation began to recede and the shadows melted away and he shrank upon himself. Both arms curled around her and his head bowed until his face pressed to her hair where he breathed in her smell for the last time. He was holding her for the last time. And by Elune, it hurt in so many ways that he could not even begin to name them. But if he allowed her to stay, then Kil'jaeden would continue sending his agents after Shayl to bring her to him, to get what he wanted. In this moment, Illidan cursed his pact with the daemonlord more bitterly then he ever had before. But he had been happy, happier then he had ever been for a brief period of his life. He had to protect her. He must. And it was with that thought in mind that his hands moved to her shoulders and Illidan thrust her away with a snarl.

With a startled cry, Shayl fell back against a warm, solid presence which she knew was Malfurion. The archdruid was staring at his brother and he saw what Shayl could not. He saw open anguish on his brother's features even as one hand lifted towards her before falling back at his side and Furion could only wonder what his brother was plotting. But he kept one steady hand on Shayl's shoulder while she blinked and then spoke up, her voice soft and hesitant.

"Illidan, what-"

"You stupid girl," came the growling words that cut her off in midsentence. "You miserably foolish child! I had thought you were more intelligent then that!"

Shayl's face grew pale as she listened to him speak before her blinded eyes narrowed and she would open her mouth to speak, but Illidan continued on with his words, voice cruelly harsh and cutting. But how different it would have been if Shayl could have seen the open self-loathing on Illidan's voice as he worked on driving away the woman he.. loved.

"Really, what did you think was going to happen? I suppose that you were optimistic in your belief that I would come save you? I did so, but not out of any affections for you, woman. No, you are a precious and valuable commodity to me. None of my other healers have been able to heal me the way that you managed to after the damage left unto my body by Frostmourne's blade."

"Illidan.. What-? I thought-"

"Thought what? That I loved you?" the half-breed interrupted her with, his voice cold and cutting deeply into Shayl's heart and emotions as he stood there. It was taking all he had to speak the way that he was, to not fall to his knees and beg forgiveness for hurting her with these words. The next few stuck in his throat and he had to force them out slowly. "You were nothing more then a merely convenient warm body in my bed. I had never bedded a virgin before, but you responded enthusiastically enough to it that I suppose there really is no accounting for such a silly thing."

The young druid stood there, her mouth hanging open as she felt as if she'd just been punched in the gut. No, that was too mild an analogy. Shayl felt as if she'd been turned inside out, scraped clean of every emotion and then returned to normal. Her face was pale and her head swam as she would clutch at whatever she could for support. Behind her, Malfurion was glaring murderously at his brother, despite the look of tormented feelings that were written across the lupine features and Illidan moved as if he were going to take a step closer and then his mouth opened slowly as he continued to speak. He had to break her down, make her hate and disbelieve him, make her never want to turn to him again. In doing so, he was protecting her for he knew that if he told her the reason why that she would never leave his side.

"It was rather laughable at how easily you fell into my bed. You are a romantic, my girl. There was nothing more then lust between us and it was just shallow lust at that. I could have had any woman from my retinue but there was something utterly _satisfying _about having an innocent, don't you think?"

Perhaps it was the shock of the words that finally gave Shayl her voice again for she sucked in a slow breath and stared at him before speaking up again, voice trembling from the need to hold back tears of bitter pain and shock from these terrible words.

"You.. You can't mean it, right? I mean, you.. you said that.. I was yours! You said that-"

"I said that you were mind, only insofar as to make an example to my _dear _brother that I have merely taken what has been denied me for all this time. About the only useful thing that you have ever done is heal my wound and since it's closed, I don't quite need you anymore."

That was the breaking point as Shayl's mouth dropped open and a gasping sob escaped her throat as she shook and then fell to her knees, trying to breathe as tears slowly began to run down her face and Malfurion's mouth opened to yell at his brother, to berate him, to tear him apart verbally for the pain he had caused this woman. But his voice froze when he saw what looked to be wetness running down his twin's face. Slowly, Malfurion's mouth closed as he would stare in shock at his brother's tears before it clicked at last in the archdruid's mind. His brother was hurting her to protect her. When Illidan's face turned to him, Malfurion nodded slowly, still stunned into silence from seeing those tears. Yes, he would take her with him and keep an eye on her. And slowly, Illidan nodded back before looking down to the sobbing woman on the ground while blood elves and naga stared at them. Finally, however, Malfurion knelt and wrapped one arm around Shayl's body and he stood, speaking as he did so, carrying on the charade to protect his brother's lover. What strength it took to be so willing to give up the woman he loved.

"Come, Shayl. We will leave soon. I.. will help you gather your things and we shall leave."

Turning away from his brother, Malfurion helped Shayl off, the latter of the pair bent over like a broken, old woman. They vanished into the Temple and then returned a short while later, Shayl clutching a bag that held all of her worldly possessions like a shield against whatever else would devastate her world. Lifting a whistle to his lips, Malfurion blew into it though the magics that filled it kept it silent save for the ears of his mount. It was not long after that the shrieking roar of his hippogriff emerged from the clouds as it came to land in the courtyard, hooves coming down first to settle on the stones before the clawed forelegs came down next. Wings folding at his sides, the beast lowered his head to Malfurion's hand, golden eyes focusing on the druid before Malfurion lifted Shayl to his back, securing her bag to the strap of the harness that encircled his forelegs and chest. Glancing back at his brother, Malfurion was surprised to find an egg embedded with crystals being handed to Shayl by Illidan. No more words were said, but Shayl clutched the egg close and then Malfurion mounted the hippogriff behind Shayl and stared at his brother before his hand lifted and the large wings spread, beating at the air as the beast reared and then launched up into the air.

Illidan's head lifted as he watched the hippogriff fly away and out of sight. As the last trace of the dot that held Shayl on its back vanished into the horizon, his mouth dropped open and he let out a sudden scream, hands flying to his head and chest as he clawed at himself and the Illidari around him fled for their lives, letting their master vent his pain alone. Clawing at the ground, at himself, slamming against the walls, his screams continued, chilling the blood and leaving pain in the soul. When his outburst finished, Illidan staggered and fell to his knees, lifting his head as rain began to pour down from the clouds above, almost as if the heavens were weeping with him. And Illidan's mind began to crumble as the beast within keened wildly in pain at loosing its mate. Mouth opening, he moaned and then buried his face in his hands, sobbing in crumpling sounds, rocking back and forth as his fingers curled against his head, digging into the skin.

On the back of the hippogriff, Shayl clutched the egg close, not caring that the sharp crystals were scratching her up before the egg began to wobble and break open and her blind face stared down at the egg. From out of its confines, a little netherdrake tumbled into her arms and it cooed briefly before starting to lick her wounds and she was only dimly aware of their flight path changing. Her mind was too focused on what had just occurred, on how she had been abandoned and torn apart so easily by the man she had come to grow affectionate of. The whelp's cooing finally stirred her out of it as it lapped at the purple blood that streamed from her arms and chest where she'd been wounded by the crystals. Then, as her mouth opened, a streaming hum entered her ears and then a sudden, lurching sense of displacement that she had felt only once before when Illidan had brought her to Outland. The departure from the world seemed to finalize it and Shayl simply sat there as the hippogriff continued to fly and so it was that she left behind her heart and then Shayl's head bowed as she began to sob quietly, holding the little whelpling close as she did so.

And behind her, Malfurion could only sit as the wings of the hippogriff beat up and down and he knew that this was a hurt that could not be healed by him. The only person who could ever heal this hurt was his brother for he had left this woman broken in ways that had ripped open old wounds and his hand lifted to gently press a gentle touch against Shayl's shoulder as she cried. And all the while, the silence was broken only by the beating of those large wings.

* * *

Thus ends the first storyline arc of Gravitation. Have no fear my loyal readers, this is not the end of Illidan and Shayl. Oh, heavens no. This is only the beginning of their story. Now that I've gotten over the block that was killing the story, expect the next chapter out sooner then this one came out! I have a new job so I don't have as much time to write. But I do know how the story's going to continue. Just don't lynch me (or Illidan) for what's happened with Shayl. Please?

**Illidan** - (Growl, grumblegrumble, growl.)

**Shayl** - (Pets him soothingly and gently.)


	14. Return

**Gravitation**

**Arcadia-Sama**

**Summary**- Never mind. You'll see.

**Disclaimer**- Shayl is miiiiiiiiine. Draconicus belongs to a friend. Everything else is Blizzard's. Even Illidan. Goddammit.

**Suggested BGM** – _"Click Click Boom"- __**Saliva**_

_"Your will is not your own" – **The Lich King**_

_Author Notes_ – Chapter fourteen. Voila. And just to clear up any confusion before people start reading, this chapter starts off at the beginning of World of Warcraft. Four years have gone by, Illidan's insane and Malfurion's vanished. And, just to keep things interesting.. Arthas, the Lich King, has awoken.

Also, I apologize for how stupidly long this took to get out but I just couldn't start writing. Apparently, it wasn't Shayl I needed to start this chapter off with, but Illidan. I kept trying to start this chapter by concentrating on Shayl and NOTHING was working. And then I was driving home from something or another and it just kerwhammied me out of nowhere. I didn't want to start with Shayl but with Illidan because I needed to poke at him first before I revealed Shayl once more. Where she began the first arc of Gravitation, it was necessary to have Illidan start the second. Rather unusual, but still fitting, that.

Holy. Shit. I've amassed over thirty thousand hits on this story. Thirty. Thousand. Hits. Oh my god, I'm beyond stunned here. Beyond words almost. How I've accomplished this, I'm not sure. But I have to say this. THANK YOU. ALL OF YOU. I love you! =D And guess what. March 6th marks the third year anniversary of Gravitation. Wow.

**DarkDesh **– Well, thank you, Desh! I had quite a bit of fun with chapter thirteen to be honest and here's to hoping that you'll enjoy this update!

**JtheChosen1** – Yeah, I know. xD So's Shayl.

**Draknal** – You mean clever bitch, honey. ;D My parents were married before I was born. But thank you! D I am pleased to provide a source of frustration and still, I do apologize for how long this one took.

**SemiSane **– Hey, glad to see you're still around honey! (Hug) Well, here's the next arc's start and thank you for the comment on my writing skill. I do try my best. =)

**Skrye **– Haha, yay, I made your week better! (Dance)

**Libello **– First off, yes, Shayl is an actual character of mine that I both roleplay and write about AND she is my main on my WoW server. So she's constantly in my head and I don't complain because she's always seeming to change a bit. And the BEST WoW fic? Pffffft, I'll bet there's better ones, but then I'm humble when it comes to my writing. And yes, fastest way for me to get irked is someone dubbing Shayl a Sue. Pisses me right the fuck off. xD Haha. And yes, it is sad and will stay sad for some time more. But I'm glad you're enjoying!

**Alyondria **– Honor? My dear, you flatter me with your kind words, but thank you. =) And everyone keeps telling me it's one of the best stories out there. It's just hard for me to believe sometimes. Also, believe me that when I say that keeping to the personalities Blizzard laid out for the characters was _hard _until I got used to it. It's fun, though.

**BloodNightmare **– YOU LIKE THE WORDS.

**Lady Kaliska** – Well, I'm glad to see your hope has been restored! And yes, typical male thing. Illidan does care (read: LOVE) Shayl after all and it's an influence in his actions. Oh lord, vanishing for days.. I know that feeling. xD And haha, thanks! I'm glad to get started on the second arc.

**Silverwolf **– Thank you for the review, hon! =)

**Diminia **– Well, I'm glad to see you're still about and reading my story! And, Avar, keep in mind that I've got the ability to break you down into itty-bitty pieces if I got my hands onto a machete. So there.

**DemonAngel of Ice** – Yes, I know that he would so we'll see what happens. ;)

**Lily **– Illidan's personality is so fun to write, I have to admit, but it's not easy to write either. Shayl.. Well, Shayl is similar to him I suppose but I'm not sure how. xD And awww, you melt? Well, here. (Offers a sponge to) Don't need you making a mess. Har har har, I am so witty.

**MeoPawzYou **- It's a long hard road for them both, but we'll see how things turn out. There is a happy ending, perhaps. ;]

**Wrestlemania 25** - Ask and ye shall receive, my good reader. ;] It's one of the things I do best.

**Pannychan **- Thank you! I've worked hard on my writing over the years and it is true what they say. Practice does make perfect and I've had a lot of practice. And yes, chapter twelve is definitely hawt. Mrow. xD

**Starspawn 07** - All it takes to fill your stories up is a lot of practice. And I mean, a _lot _of practice. I enjoy the "point A to point B" stuff, however, because I'm good at it and I'm sorry if I got tedious. =P But blocks happen and they don't go away that fast. But thank you for the comments and hey, don't feel too inadequate. Look at my earlier chapters. Now THOSE suck. _

Now, on with the show! =D

* * *

"My lord?"

There seemed to be no reaction from the figure on the throne to the words that filled the air and for a second, the owner of the voice even thought he was asleep. But there was a glimmer of faint, flickering flames behind the cloth that was wrapped over the man's eyes, or at least what passed for them. Shadows cloaked the area about the throne, despite the torches that flickered nearby and not even the sound of breathing could be heard as the man didn't seem to notice the speaker. Slowly, bare feet moved up towards the throne and a gentle hand reached out to touch him and it was then that Illidan lifted his head, looking up at the woman standing over him.

It wasn't real. That's what he had to keep telling himself. That this wasn't real; after all, reality was only a tenuous thing for the man and his grasp on it slipped more and more every day. But oh how he wanted for it to be.

But there was a touch of a hand to his face, stroking his features with a gentle fashion and Illidan sighed, lifting one hand to cover those long fingers, letting his palm press hers to his face as he exerted pressure on the back of her hand. Malevolence hummed suddenly in the air, coming from the great hybrid on his dark throne and then suddenly, he was looking upwards at the figure that stood over him and with a snarl, Illidan reached up, his hand coming to cover the face of the one he longed to see the most but this was not her! And then his fingers contorted inwards, punching through Shayl's face before suddenly, the illusion was dissipating, revealing a hissing, snarling succubus and Illidan rose to his feet, speaking now.

"This is the fifth time in as many days that you have done this, Lxyira, and you knew what the consequences of your actions would be! Here is a warning then, to you and all others like you who would do the same!"

It was a simple thing for him to seize her by her face, his fingers curling over the unnaturally perfect features, his nails digging into her scalp as he began to squeeze her head in his grasp, exerting an excruciating amount of pain upon the skull of the succubus, nearly to the point of crushing it even as the daemon cried out. But that wasn't all. Magic began to flow into Illidan, slowly at first and then suddenly faster as he fed, the addict's smile of relief from the pain rolling across his lips and his devouring of her magic continued until he'd nearly drained all of it away, leaving the succubus' body weak and flimsy, ignoring the now slack flesh of her curves. Even Lxyira's hair had been changed, no longer a lustrous black but gray and white, as if she'd aged in the same manner a human would. It was a simple matter for Illidan to thrust her away, ignoring her as she hit the floor and he returned to his previous posture of being seated.

The throne room had gone silent during the fast-paced exchange, the entire ordeal lasting no more then three minutes, if that and then the flow of conversation resumed yet again, the owners of the voices cutting their stares towards their decidedly insane leader but no one said anything truly overt for while he may have been insane, he was still their lord and master and as such, they owed him their fealty in ways that only they understood. The Illidari were sworn to their lord and they had sworn out of fear, out of loyalty, out of devotion for him. But then, they had sworn as well because Illidan had promised to deliver the blood elves what they needed, what they wanted. An end to their hunger, an end to the gnawing ache that their addiction caused their race thanks to their constant use of magic over the centuries of their lives.

On the throne, Illidan fell once more, screaming as he did so, but the sound was kept confined to the remains of his soul. Down, down, down he fell, darkness and danger swallowing him whole, leaving him wanting. Or was it something else that was wanting? He wasn't sure. He never was sure these days and he knew; oh, only he knew that he was right, that he had done everything pure and right. Arthas had fallen at his hands; he had made sure of it. The bastard prince, the damned prince, the undead leader had fallen to Illidan's claws. It had happened that way, he knew, he could remember how it had happened, how he had laughed at seeing Arthas's blood spilling out across the snows that coated the crown of Northrend's glaciers and snow banks.

Once more he saw the fight, the pulsation of blood in his ears, the clash and scrape of metal against metal as Illidan fought with the Twinblades of Azzinoth, Arthas wielding Frostmourne. Once more, Illidan was locked in lethal combat with Arthas, his fingers flexing about the arms of the throne he sat on, thorny wings scraping across the floor as his his hooves shifted and he saw his own blades come forward, hewing through the death knight's armor like a hot knife through butter. Then why did his chest ache? Then why did he bear a scar that could only have come from a sword? His fingers were slowly prized from one of the chair's arms and lifted to the sinewy rope of scar tissue that rode across his stomach from left shoulder to right hip and once more, he smelled earth and herbs and feminine sweetness, once again he saw the flash of pale lavender skin and beautiful hair that was dark at the roots and light at the tips and bright amber eyes that glowed brilliantly in anger and passion and a warmth that had slowly eased the iciness about his heart.

_Shayl…_

The thoughts of the druid came to him, unbidden, unwanted. The smell of her hair, the feel of her skin beneath his fingers, the expression on her face as she lost herself within the throes of ecstasy beneath him, even as he devoured her mouth with greedy kisses. His fingers shifted across his scar once more, nails dragging over the line of broken flesh that had never healed properly despite the best efforts of the priests. Indeed, it had healed, he imagined, only because it had been given enough time to do so. But his mind turned back to thoughts of Shayl, feeling again all those emotions that he wished he didn't.

She had done this! She, that damnable wench! His rage came upon him then and he roared as he thrust himself up from his throne once again, his retainers and sycophants scattering like puff seeds in the wind, leaving the enraged hybrid on his own. His blades flamed to life and Illidan turned his fury on the surroundings of the room. Blades wreathed in green flame slashed and stabbed at silken fabric, the weapons crashing down onto the throne and splintering it into large pieces that he attacked with relentless anger until they were but splinters and then his attention turned onto other parts of the room as he kept fighting and attacking the room until his anger was spent.

Panting, he turned and slowly left the throne room, stopping only long enough to speak to his chamberlain, ignoring the slightly nervous air the man was presenting to him.

"Fix the room."

Turning away from him, Illidan strode away and up to his tower, seeking solitude but even there the memories were plaguing him and he gritted his teeth as memory assailed him yet again, hearing the soft laugh of Shayl, smelling her, feeling her ghost there with him, lingering in the chamber that housed him. Slowly, he approached the dresser that housed her items that he couldn't bring himself to destroy. A comb that he had gotten for her, the wooden spine bearing a carving of a flower in the center with curling vines. How he had loved to simply watch her comb her hair, staring at the way the long green strands flowed about her body and she had always seemed to insist on combing it after they had tussled in bed together. It had always amused him to interrupt her and bring her back to bed again, only to have her complain in a half-hearted manner and he always enjoyed kissing those complaints away.

There, too, was a small bottle of cream that she had rubbed into her skin to protect it from the dryness of the climate, smelling of herbs that had made him remember the forests of Kalimdor as they had been. Here, one of her carvings that she had often favored and had missed on the day she had left. It was a deer, captured in mid-leap, the graceful lines of its legs stretched out before and behind its body. The brush it was leaping over held the beast in midair, though it was so cunningly carved that one noticed the deer first and the base second, the doe looking so life-like that more then once, Illidan expected to find her gone.

Memories plagued him and he shook with the emotions they wrought upon his mind and heart before suddenly throwing his head back and roaring loudly, making the stones of the room shake before there was a sudden outward explosion of magic from his body, decimating the wall of his chamber that overlooked the courtyard and he threw himself into the air, wings beating furiously. Maybe if he flew long enough, hard enough, maybe the dreams wouldn't come back. Maybe..

Maybe he could finally forget her.

* * *

The World Tree of Teldrassil was a wondrous thing to behold. Massive enough that its crowning branches seemed to scrape at the very limits of the atmosphere, its roots were sunk deep into the land of Kalimdor, its girth almost unimaginable as it sat upon a vast island. From a first glance, the verdant leaves and spreading branches of the tree spoke of purity and beauty, though the tree had been raised at a price. Corruption seeped through the branches of the massive tree, corruption allowed in due to the absence of blessings from the Dragon Aspects whom had blessed Nordrassil. But despite the darkness in its depths, Teldrassil was still a mighty, awe-inspiring sight that took the breath away of many people. Amidst its soaring boughs and branches sat the city of Darnassus, capital city of the kaldorei. The Temple of the Moon sat there, as did the home of the Cenarion Circle and it was there that she had been brought to reside, to learn what had been neglected her years before she had run away.

Malfurion had begun her training before events had called him away, his young prodigy left to the tutelage of other druids and she had been a quick study. Few words, if any, ever left the throat of the woman who had been brought to them and though she had been graced with Malfurion's protection, it hadn't stopped the information from getting out. And in a week of his bringing Shayl with him to Darnassus, everyone from Tyrande Whisperwind to the lowly couriers had known that Shayl had been residing with Illidan by her own choice from when she had been abducted by the Illidari in the first place.

The whispers were there, the eyes staring and watching her, as if to see if she would sprout horns and hooves in the same manner that Illidan had. The touch of fel magic was strong on the druid, all could see that, and the bite upon her neck had healed over by that time, a silver scar marring her already scarred body. They all knew now what had become of her during her time in Illidan's presence and many had seen Shayl as a bastard child, regarding her in the same manner that one would regard something undesirable stuck to their foot. But no one had dared to confront the druid to her face, no one had dared to speak up, call her to her face what she knew they called her behind her back.

The Betrayer's Whore. Traitor. Turncoat. There had been others that she didn't remember but it was the first one that several had named her and Shayl knew it.

It had stung, at first, but after spending time in the company of Illidan before returning to a people she had little reason to like and less reason to love, Shayl had found it easy to lose herself in her studies, and within four years, she had nearly gained the rank of Arch-Druid and been lifted to a seat upon the Cenarion Circle that was formed by those who dwelt within Darnassus but not as a member. No, not even close. They had brought her in as an apprentice, the Circle had said, to see if she would be allowed to one day sit with them. That appointment had come not from her merits and abilities, but from their need to keep an eye on her. Keep an eye on her, ha! As if she were a mere child in need of watching, they had meant! But that was no matter to her. She had not asked for this. She had not tried to become what she had become on purpose. Rather, it had been shoved on her and she resented them for it.

It was only the snarl of Fandral that had Shayl's head lifting from where it rested upon her hand, the proceedings of the Circle continuing as words were filling the air and she finally shifted her weight, resting her hands upon the arms of the chair that supported her, those blind eyes of gold almost covered completely by the Thunderheart helm that covered her head, the hooked beak that formed the jutting visor giving her an imposing air. Then Shayl spoke, proving that despite her seeming distraction, she had been listening to the goings on.

"Regardless of your feelings towards the death knights of the Ebon Blade, my lord," she said towards Fandral, her blind eyes meeting his and she tipped her head forward. "They are allies of the Alliance and thus, due our respect for they have cleaved themselves from the influence of the Lich King. For that alone, I say that the knights should be allowed free passage through our lands. Perhaps they will be able to provide insight into why Teldrassil is falling into corruption."

Though she could not see his face, Shayl could imagine it twisting into rage at her words and she kept her head upright, chin lifted and she stared in his direction, feeling the moods crackling and shifting as she did so. Tyrande and Hamuul shifting in their own seats in a slow manner as if they were to lunge forward and keep the leader of the kaldorei druids from the young woman's throat. Yet, those golden eyes didn't waver from Fandral's and he pressed his lips together slowly, the snarl that had taken over his features becoming slow calmness.

How he couldn't stand this young druid! She was a liability that the kaldorei could not afford. She had been the consort of Illidan and who knew what thoughts went on behind those gold eyes of hers? Fandral stared for several moments before he spoke up at last, his voice sharp as his mind raced, coming up with a plan that had already been several weeks in the making in an attempt to remove this girl from his hair in a way that would suit him and perhaps be rid of her once and forever.

"Is that so? Then perhaps you will not be afraid to roam to Outland, youngling," he snapped angrily at Shayl, staring at her. How she made his flesh crawl! Despite the fel magic that swirled about the girl, she was a powerful druid and the contrast of magic irritated Fandral in ways that he couldn't begin to name. "I have heard rumors that the leaders of the Circle out there have begun to find ways of healing corruption amongst the flora and fauna that exist in the blasted lands of Draenor. If that is the case, then you are to bring back any news or research of theirs to the Circle here."

Shayl's mouth opened but Tyrande's voice filled the air next and she shut her lips together quickly, the slightest hint of distaste forming on the druid's features as she listened to the Priestess of the Moon speak. There was little love towards Tyrande in Shayl, the druid who was an embodiment of life and nature finding the priestess a cold woman. But perhaps part of it came from the history between her and Illidan and Shayl, who couldn't see, knew that Tyrande was beautiful just from the melodic strings of her voice.

"That is a good idea. Hawkeye, perhaps it would be best if you did take your time to investigate what the Circle has discovered in the world of Outland."

Her fingers flexed, Shayl rising to her feet and then she merely departed without another word. How she hated it here. How she loathed it here. Yes, loathing was a better word for what she felt towards those about her. There had been only one person that had made Shayl feel accepted and even then, she thought bitterly, it had been partially through guilt that he had taken her under his wing. But that wasn't true and she apologized silently to her shan'do as her eyes closed and then Shayl was upon the ground and striding to where her frostsaber awaited her, fingers gently stroking along Teila's ears, earning a deep purr.

"Come, Teila.. we have much work to do," Shayl murmured as she moved to take her place upon the saddle on the back of the large frostsaber. "Much work to do indeed."

How easy was it to leave the city of Darnassus behind, to walk to Rut'Theran village and to take a hippogryffe now from there to Auberdine and from Auberdine, she caught a boat to Stormwind Harbor. Teila wasn't happy about the ship, however, and it took a bribe of a young fawn to encourage the large feline to bear Shayl onto the dock of the ship. But Shayl's attention was only partially on the journey and more upon memories she had not allowed to surface for four long years. Memories of a time she would much rather forget and her eyes closed, a useless gesture for they did nothing to change her nonexistent sight, the shroud of blackness that surrounded her never to lift.

Outland; how would she deal with a return to that world?

Not well, Shayl suspected. Not well at all. Outland meant she would have to face memories that she would much rather leave in the darkness of her mind and those memories were both bittersweet and cherished. The trip across the ocean did not take long and she listened to the dull roar of the Maelstrom as they skirted along its outermost edges, the fast flowing currents flinging the ship through the water with speeds that were dangerous, but so long as they kept to the outer edges of the giant whirlpool that bisected the ocean between the continents of Kalimdor and the Eastern Kingdoms, they were relatively safe. Or, at least, that's what the captain of the ship told her.

As long as they didn't die, Shayl supposed, she could care less how the trip went. But she stood at the railing of the ship, hearing the hissing of the water and the crackling billow of the sails as they sped along, the cool mist and foaming of the water washing over her hands and face and the memories it brought up were not ones that she wished to deal with at the moment, the druid busy keeping herself restrained from tears. How could she return to Outland when just a simple trip stirred up the memories of her abduction? But she had been given a thinly-veiled order by the Circle to bring back research that she knew was well within their reach to gain through other means.

A wind had begun to whip the ship along even faster now and Shayl remained in her spot, as unmoving as a statue as the trip continued and finally, the ship was wrested from the currents that threatened to drag it from the relatively safe waters that held it in a tight grip into the inner maw of the Maelstrom and down into those deadly, dark depths that would have crushed the ship and yet, Shayl knew, that would be if they were lucky.

Shaking off the gloomy thoughts, the druid diverted her attention by rubbing Telia's ears, letting her fingers sway through the thick fur that coated the thick muscles that covered the body of the feline. This earned a slow rumbling purr and a rub of the large cat's head against her hip and thigh, almost pushing her over as the crack of the sails continued onwards, though the roar and speed with which they were traveling were starting to slow down and the druid pressed her lips together as she knew it would be only an hour or so until they were soon at Stormwind Harbor. But still she stood there in the light of the day, ignoring the burning of her skin that was occurring thanks to her exposure to the sunlight or the pain that she would be feeling later as well as her hunger.

At last, the heaving of the ship began to slow and a bell rang as they slowly came up to the dock of Stormwind Harbor, Shayl returning to her perch upon her saddle, Telia padding forward once the ship had come to a halt, the anchor of the ship keeping them still for only so long before the captain was going to gesture for it to be pulled up and she knew that the ship would be returning to Kalimdor. So it was that Shayl bid Telia to run, guiding the large beast through the winding roads of Stormwind City to the flight master. As Telia stepped from the stone ramp onto the wooden flooring, Shayl dismounted from the large cat and patted her face.

"I will call for you soon enough, my friend," she said with a smile, her eyes warming as she looked to the large cat. "I travel to Nethergarde and I need speed that's even greater then yours."

There was a rumble before the frostsaber's tongue swiped over Shayl's cheek and then the big cat was gone and Shayl walked to the flight master, paying the fare silently before she was led to one of the large gryphons that served for swift transport above the lands of the Eastern Kingdoms. The bird-feline hybrid padded to the flight ledge and then leapt out into open air, freefalling for a few seconds before there was a rustle of feathers and its wings spread out wide, the gryphon's flight bearing it aloft and Shayl dug her fingers into the mane of feathers that covered its neck, her blind eyes closing as she allowed sensation to bear her aloft, hearing the beating of wings and feeling the caress of wind across her face and a sense of almost weightlessness as the gryphon set its wings into a locked position, gliding along now and then and the silence during those times was divine.

But the silence also allowed for memories to surface and Shayl had no choice but to acknowledge the fact that she was remembering times that were both wonderful and painful. She had been happy in Outland; perhaps she hadn't been truly liked by those that had followed Illidan, but she had been happy with him, enjoying the fights they had gotten into, despising the way he had seen her at first as nothing more then a mere annoyance, persisting in her attention towards him and her efforts had finally begun to pay off. But she had connected to him in a way that had confused her at first and that confusion was what had led to what had occurred between them.

Then, coldly, Shayl told herself that those memories were serving no purpose as she rested atop the gryphon, feeling the air change as they passed from the Swamp of Sorrows into the Blasted Lands as the humid, hot air gave way to dry, hot air. It wasn't a sudden transition, but the change was still potent all the same and she opened her eyes, letting her senses speak to her as she felt the blasted remnants of the land about her speaking where swamplands had once been before the Dark Portal had been destroyed thanks to Ner'zhul's own incompetence and arrogance when he had opened all of the portals at once. The magical backlash had torn Draenor apart, forming Outland and that had quite simply been that. Yet, all was not as it seemed.

Shaking the thoughts away as she felt the gryphon descending to Nethergarde Keep's landing spot, she tightened her grip with her legs as the gryphon's hind feet came down first before its clawed forefeet came down with a jarring thump and she shook her head once or twice before slipping free of the gryphon's back and she patted its beak with a smile and murmured thanks before moving, one hand on the rope that decorated the outer edge of the spiraling ramp that led down to the ground below and she finally lifted her hand, letting out a silent call and Telia appeared moments later, ready to be ridden once again.

Once again in the saddle, Shayl allowed Telia to guide them now, the frostsaber carrying her rider swiftly to their destination and Shayl's head tilted slightly as she heard the low roar of the Portal approaching. There was a sense about it that set her teeth on edge, a sound to it that made her teeth grit and her eyes narrow as the druid fought the urge to cover her ears with her hands. It was an unusual thing. But Telia charged down the slope of the crater and through the camp and up the stone ramp that led to the Portal and just before they entered it, the massive feline leapt and they plunged through the magical rift.

For several long seconds, there was an oppressive coldness about them as the feline and the night elf hung weightless in that space between worlds, moving forward at speeds that were both beyond the speed of light and yet agonizingly slow. Here, there was no sound, no light, no heat. Time held no meaning in this place and the darkness and coldness threatened to crush the mount and rider, the infinite darkness so much more then their mere speck of life. But then, suddenly, light and sound and heat were about hem once more and Telia landed upon her paws neatly as she finished her leap.

Shayl's head was reeling at the sounds of battle for it had been four long years since she had been here. Four years of study and forgetfulness and it all came crashing back as she smelled the air, felt the dry heat assaulting her face, and heard the howling of the wind. But the sounds of battle were close indeed and so was the presence of daemons about the place and she lifted her head as the angle at which Telia was walking suddenly sloped downwards. The frostsaber continued onwards, stopping only suddenly when a hand caught at her reins and Shayl heard someone speaking to her.

"Here now, lassie, whit d'ye think yer doin'? Yer headin' for those there demons! There are gryphons nearby, if ye need tae be travelin' somewhere!"

The rich, rough accent of a dwarf's voice filled the air and Shayl found herself smiling almost involuntarily. Despite herself, she had become quite fond of the dwarves, admiring their stout, good nature (with the notable exception of the Dark Iron dwarves) and their odd senses of humor. But she had nothing to fear here for as soon as she had stepped into these lands, the mark on her neck and the fel energies that marked her as mate to a daemon of considerable power had flared up from where they had lain dormant and she found herself unable to answer, her head lifting upwards as she closed her eyes before breathing in a slow sigh and letting it out before finally answering.

"Don't worry, my good dwarf," she said softly now. "I know what I am doing and Telia here is more then swift enough to outrun their fastest minions. Please, let me go."

The dwarf looked up at the night elf suspiciously, but he slowly allowed his fingers to relax from the reins of the frostsaber, his eyes squinting even further. There was an expression of longing on the night elf's face he didn't understand, but there had also seemed to be a terrible sadness. Yet, as soon as the reins were released, the frostsaber exploded into motion and his cry of alarm was delayed by a vital second or two. The frostsaber charged towards the wall of warriors where two massive Infernals fought to break through their ranks and Telia's muscles bunched before she suddenly leapt into the air again, soaring gracefully over the heads of the astonished men and women. Even the Infernals gave brief pause to their actions, allowing Shayl access between them as she held onto Telia's back with her legs.

Shocked and amazed, the defenders of the Portal watched as the night elf passed by the daemons unmolested and unchallenged. But how were they to know that she carried a protection upon her that warned the daemons off? How could they know that the fel beasts smelled Illidan's touch on this female and that they knew enough of him to not risk his anger by possibly destroying his chosen mate? It wasn't until she heard nothing but the low moaning of the wind and the thudding of Telia's paws that Shayl finally let Telia stop running.

For long moments, the frostsaber stood there, feeling the indecisiveness of her rider, wondering what it was that had her mistress so upset. Finally, Shayl dismounted from Telia and she looked about the place. The essence of the storm crow called to her and she rested her hand on her friend's broad head. The communion was silent but Telia understood and once more, she departed and Shayl's arms spread as the change came upon her.

The feathers appeared as patterns upon her skin at first, rising up and out of her flesh and bones snapped and popped, tendons shifted and her internal organs rearranged themselves. But there was no pain as Shayl flowed into the body of the storm crow that filled her now and she flapped her wings once, twice and then she was in the air, the only vestiges of the night elf that remained being her two now long, large ears. But the winds carried her up, up, up off the ground with ease. There was a wild sense of joy in Shayl at this new freedom and she circled once and then twice before finally stopping and hovering in midair, struggling with herself and her decisions.

To the west lay Zangarmarsh and it was there that she would find the stronghold of the Circle in this blasted world. But it was to the south that Shayl was being pulled. She wanted to see him again. Damn her soul, she wanted.. no.. she needed to see him again. The pull of seeing Illidan once more could only be described as overwhelming. Four long years of suffering, four long years of not having seen the man that.. No. No! This was foolishness! Shayl turned her head away from the south, closed her heart in a shell and began to wing her way towards the west, the steady stroking of her wings slicing up and down through the air as she hurled herself as fast as she could towards Zangarmarsh.

There was no place for her here; there was no reason for her to turn to the south, to go see him. He had made that abominably clear that terrible day. So it was that Shayl flew and flew, deliberately flying as fast as she could, just to have her muscles start burning in protest. The slow transition from the arid, dry area of Hellfire Peninsula to the wet, rainy swamps of Zangarmarsh was something of a reversal from the Swamp of Sorrows and he Blasted Lands. But Shayl persisted grimly, only coming downwards when she felt sparks of druidic magic gathered together and the familiar thwomping footsteps of an ancient of war caught her sensitive hearing. Swooping downwards to perch on the roof of the leader's dwelling, she remained there for a moment or two, preening her wing and allowing herself to indulge in a moment's rest before fluttering to the ground and taking place there.

The return to her form was easily done, the druid shedding her feathers for flesh, her wings for arms, her talons for feet and she stretched for a moment, feeling the loss of that weightless nature before finally turning away from the sky and she stepped up the wooden ramp that would lead her into the building to the balcony that Ysiel stood at. The leader of the Refuge was currently in conversation with a courier and Shayl kept her distance, but what she heard was troubling.

"… you are sure, then? Lady Vashj is dwelling within Coiilfang Reservoir?" Ysiel said, her voice carrying sharply.

"Yes, my lady," came the voice of a young man.

"Damn! If one of Illidan's most trusted lieutenants is here, then what is he planning?! There must be a reason for it!"

Ysiel's voice had come out more stridently then she'd intended, but it wasn't to be helped and her hands settled on her hips as she stared at the lands outside of the Refuge where the beasts of Zangarmarsh roamed and she thought. It was useless trying to send a scout out to investiage something in another part of the Outlands but Ysiel would have slept better knowing what it was that Illidan had Vashj doing. But finally, she dismissed the courier and turned to Shayl who tilted her head at the woman.

"My apologies, master druid, at the delay in finding the time for speaking with you since your arrival. There are reports coming in and all of them have been quite alarming. I am afraid that I have not the resources nor the ability to learn what it is that I want to know. But regardless, I am here and at your service. What may I help you with today?"

There was a matter-of-fact nature about the leader of this place that Shayl liked. A firm directness that was open and unequivocal, but wholly appreciated. Yet, she didn't answer right away, turning the words she had heard over and over within her mind before she spoke up at last, her voice pitched low.

"I was sent here by Fandral Staghelm and Tyrande Whisperwind. I am here to learn of whatever research there has been of the cleansing of flora and fauna within this place. I was hoping that you could tell me more."

Even as she spoke, Ysiel's head was shaking back and forth slightly before she spoke in reply to the druid's words, her military tone reflecting well on her character, Shayl felt. This was a woman that she would have been willing to follow, willing to listen to had she been part of her group and the Circle out here. But she was not part of this group, nor was Shayl really part of any other night elf faction. All because of Illidan's lingering touch upon her soul and mind, all because they believed that he had corrupted her or planted seeds of betrayal in her mind.

"There is no complete research here, master druid. I am afraid that you wasted your time coming this way and to this place. For that, I apologize. Fandral has been seeking the completion of the research that we're doing for some time now. Yet, this research that we're doing is not close to being done and I already sent someone to Darnassus a few days ago with out updated progress. This is not the first time he has done something of this sort."

Shayl slumped slightly at the words, though she'd suspected as much and slowly, the younger woman nodded her head. She turned now, a brief smile flickering across her lips and then spoke, her voice low.

"I see. Well, I thank you, lady Ysiel, for your time. I shall get out of your hair and leave you be."

Hearing only a murmured sound of reply, Shayl stepped out of the building and then her eyes closed tightly, a habit that had formed over the years. Few were those that could tell she was blind by mere glances at her, though she knew that the observant, the studious about her could tell. But a whistle was lifted to her lips now and she blew into it, a sound carrying from the whistle that was beyond the range of even her hearing but the one it was meant for would hear it soon enough and she waited now for the recipient of the whistle to arrive.

The beating of large wings soon filled the air and a roar of delight nearly split her head in half, but Shayl smiled as she lifted her hands to the albino Netherdrake that landed heavily before her, nearly being pushed over by the joyful nuzzles that she was being lavished with, the low rumbles that Ilthanaku was emitting vibrating through her whole body. She hadn't seen the netherwhelp in some time, having left him in Outland at Malfurion's insistence and yet, she had still managed to maintain a sort of connection tohim. During the flight, she had bonded with the young albino, and now she marveled at the size of the head she held. By her estimates, he was likely a young adult, if not fully grown now and she pressed her lips together for a moment, feeling hot tears roll down her cheeks.

_"I missed you," _said the young drake in his deep voice, the rolling syllables soft and beautiful. Once more, he pressed his head into Shayl's body, the ridges above his eyes nestled into her figure and the planes of his snout rubbing to her thighs. If his head alone was any indication, he was certainly large, or so Shayl estimated. Her hands move to his horns and rubbed beneath them, a smile spreading over her lips when she was rewarded with a purr and a nuzzle from his head.

"And I've missed you, Ilthenaku."

There was honesty in Shayl's voice and though she was unlikely to tell him this, she cherished this drake quite a bit for he had been the last gift Illidan had given her. She loved the young drake with everything that she had within herself and her eyes closed and opened and she blinked away the tears once again, sniffling softly and wiping her face before she spoke up now, her voice husky with choked back tears as she scratched at the white hide, feeling the warmth of it beneath her fingers. Then, she spoke quietly now.

"Will you take me to Shattrath, Ilthenaku? I wish to return to Darnassus for long enough to collect my things.. and then I think I will return here to Outland. I have no place or use in Azeroth and I have missed this world, so much.. I have missed you and I have missed the peace this place brings me, strange as it is. Will you do this for me?"

There was silence from the Netherdrake for a second and then he laughed softly, his finned tail sweeping about while he gently nudged her with his head to his side, carefully nosing her up upon his back. She would need a saddle later, but for now, he would bear her aloft as carefully as he could while managing to take her to where she wished to go.

_"Of course I will."_

The gentle response soothed Shayl's mind and she nodded her head once before climbing up awkwardly upon his back, helped by the nudging of his snout and words. But finally, Shayl was set upon his back, her fingers gripping the swooping crest that came from the rear of his head and her eyes closed as he lifted himself from the ground. To close your eyes when you were blind was a useless thing, but in a way, it almost seemed to enhance everything deliberately and once more, she felt wind combing through her hair and blowing across her face as Ilthenaku flew from the Cenarion Refuge towards Shattrath. Then..

_"Mother? Why did you leave?"_

Shayl's mouth opened slightly as Ilthenaku called her 'mother'. Mother. He was calling her his mother. For some reason, that made her ache as she knew she had the ugliest child there could ever be in the history of motherhood. Her eyes watered and once more tears rolled down her cheeks as she thought of how to answer the question.. but there was no getting about the fact that he wanted an answer and finally, the druid spoke in gentle response.

"I.. I left because someone.. someone very important to me hurt me in a way that.. that needed time to heal."

Shayl suddenly had to tighten her grip with both arms and legs for Ilthenaku whipped his head about with such force that Shayl almost fell off of her perch. But the response that he gave her stunned her and her eyes widened as she registered the words coming out of his throat in a deep, bass growl.

_"Who was it, mother? Who was it that hurt you? I will find them and eat them for you, mother!"_

Despite herself, the druid smiled and she patted the warm muscles of the nether drake's neck and her eyes watered once again before she spoke up softly, her voice low and even though she was right there by his head, Ilthenaku had to strain to hear her words, only the sharp and acute hearing of dragons helping to bring her words to his ears, as much as he had ears.

"He was the man that I.. I love. But don't go after him.. if you slew him, I.."

This was perhaps the first time that Shayl had admitted to being in love with Illidan verbally. At least, it was the first time in a long time that she could remember and she found herself now unable to continue her words, unable to finish speaking what she knew was said anyways in the silence of the air and the beating of the wings as well as the distant patter of rain striking both her body and the body of the Netherdrake beneath her and finally, she felt the angle of Ilthenaku's flight path change and he said nothing more for now, perhaps finding that it was best giving her time to cope with the memories his question had stirred.

At last, however, the rumble of the city below filled her ears and Shayl finally lifted a hand upwards, wiping at her face and she reflected on what she'd been taught by those who had been to this place and come back. It was the recent developments that had taken place over the last year or so that had especially gotten her attention, particularly the news of the Scryers. Would she know any of them? Could she know any of them? And to hear that Kael had become in his own way a power hungry maniac? What had caused him to break from Illidan's side, to turn on him? Perhaps if she found the leader of the Scryers, she could inquire about that.

Ilthenaku settled down onto the Terrace of Light, his misty, half-there wings of pale lavender swept to his sides and he held still as Shayl straightened her back, easing herself back to sit at the base of his neck as she sat and thought for a moment, the humming of the city about her gathering her attention and then her hands were set on the drake's neck as she pressed in with her legs, urging him to move along. There was no true set destination except perhaps the inside of the Terrace of Light's main building, where there were portals to the major cities of the Alliance.

It was an interesting thing to be amongst the other races again, however. Though she had met travelers from time to time in the boughs of the city of Darnassus, humans and dwarves and gnomes, and, much more recently, draenei, Shayl had never fully immersed herself in crowds. Indeed, the young years of her life amongst her people was the closest experience she had with it as well as her time in the Black Templer and she much preferred the solitude of the wilds to this crowded place where her senses were being assaulted.

Noise from vendors was common, the hawking of merchants loud and insistent while the loud clang of metal upon item was heard in the smithies where some forged weapons and others repaired equipment worn by travelers. Freshly baked bread tickled her nose, as did the stench of unwashed bodies where winds from the Lower City brought the smell of the refugees to her nose. At last, the noise level cut down somewhat as they entered the building, though even that seemed noisy until she heard the music beneath it all, the shining chimes of something pure in melody bringing tears to her eyes and Shayl felt her worries fading away as she listened to the musical humming that had to come from.. what was the name of that race? Ah, yes, the naaru. She had been told the one that ruled this city had been named A'dal. Was that correct? She thought so.

It was a simple matter to return to Darnassus and to scoop up her items when Shayl was caught by a summons to the Cenarion Circle because they had been informed of her return and with a sigh, Shayl finished placing everything into her rucksack before finally answering the summons, moving up the path that her blind feet had trodden so many times that she knew the way by heart and had no fear of falling off the edge. But at last, Shayl stepped into the chamber that Fandral used for the Circle members located in Darnassus and Shayl had opened her mouth to speak when she was blasted by the tones of Fandral.

"Well?" he demanded in thankless tones. "Did you find the research that we sent you in search of, druid?"

"No, I didn't. Ysiel told me that the research progress is fed to you, constantly, so I see little reason for my having been sent out there!" Shayl said sharply now as her hands clenched at her sides. Slowly, however, she forced herself to relax.

"Yes, yes, I suppose that is true. However, we have another matter for you to.." A cruel smile that was there and gone curled Fandral's lips suddenly. "attend to. It has come to the attention of the Circle that there are rumblings proceeding in the Outlands as to just how much influence Illidan is wielding, especially in the area of Coilfang Reservoir, and considering your past.. acquaintance.. with him, the Circle commands that you investigate this matter more fully. Should you succeed in learning what all there is to know in this assignment, druid, you may be granted the title of arch-druid and elevated to a seat on the Cenarion Circle. Go now, there is truly no time to waste. Find a mage and return to Shattrath City and begin your investigation there."

Shayl was still and silent for long moments, her expression stony and hard and yet, if there was one emotion that could have been assigned her at that moment in time, it could only have been named hatred. Hatred for these people who thought she were a mere puppet, or a traitor, to dance to their music, to be pulled and jerked about by their strings. However, Shayl had been given her orders and she turned and left the chamber without even having had anything to say in return. Perhaps it was best she had been silent because she felt as if she were going to scream.

It had been a simple manner to find a mage, paying them ten gold to open a portal to Shattrath and Shayl stepped through, almost immediately finding herself being pushed about by Ilthenaku's snout. The musical chimes of the nearby naaru filled the air and finally, Shayl returned to her seat on the drake's back and she let him move through the chamber, having formed some vague idea of going to the World's End Tavern first to begin gathering information. But then, suddenly, the music and relaxation she had felt dropped like a stone as voices nearby caught her attention, not by their volumes or tones, but their subject matter. A matter that she had been told to listen for by her superiors; how she had hated them in that moment. How cruel, was it, to have had it delivered to her so quickly?

".. yeah, the old coot's paying fifty gold to anyone who actually manages to get into the Black Temple and back out of it and they manage to take Illidan's head with 'em when they leave."

The voice was rough, but low and furtive and Shayl's mind drew up a picture of a human for he didn't have the melodious undertones of a sin'dorei or quel'dorei to his words. Rogue, perhaps. Or, at the least, a warrior who didn't want his words overheard by the wrong party. Shayl believed that if she lost her blindness, she would lose parts of her senses that gave her a distinct advantage over some others. Yet, Ilthenaku stopped, aware of the sudden tension that curled through her body and he turned his head towards her, wondering what it was that bothered her so.

"The head of Illidan? Are you crazy, Yarrik? He's the toughest bastard out here in Outland! Even the Eredar at the Legion outposts don't go near him! And his whole fortress is full of naga and daemons and blood elves ready to kill for him! I've heard even his harem's ready to fight and kill for him!"

A new voice, this one feminine and lighter, though as sly as that of Yarrik, but Shayl didn't quite form a picture for her. Harem? Harem?! He had made a harem for himself?! That made anger surge through her suddenly and her jaw line tightened before she spoke now to Ilthenaku, her voice low, sharp even as the group nearby continued to speak.

"Ilthenaku, there's been a change of plans. Please, first, find me a place where I can purchase a saddle for you because as much as I trust you, I do fear falling off."

_"Of course, mother."_

He wheeled about easily, remaining upon the ground, but departed and soon was able to be found traveling to the Lower City where he'd seen another one of his kind sleeping along with several of what he presumed to be her siblings and in a few short minutes, Shayl was soon haggling with the man who tended the netherdrakes nearby whom were conversing with Ilthenaku and she got a saddle, though it was not as expensive as she'd thought, the druid paying only sixty gold. But with the man's help, she placed it on Ilthenaku's back in a way that wouldn't interfere with his ability to fly, securing the straps that wrapped over his chest tightly. Then, once more, Shayl placed herself upon his back and bade him to fly, holding onto the handles that came with the saddle.

_"Where are we going, mother?" _inquired the young drake as he flew away from Shattrath City.

"I.. we are going to the Black Temple. We are going there because there is someone in that place that.. I need to see." _We are going there, _Shayl thought silently, _so that I can face the man I want to see. … I only wonder if he will be glad to see me.._

There was no real answer to that question, however, and Shayl knew it. He had driven her off four years ago, telling her to leave, telling her that she had been nothing more then a mere distraction for him. And that had hurt. Oh, how it had hurt and even now, just the mere memory of it had her eyes burning with tears and she shifted idly in the saddle. Her memories involving Illidan always seemed to be bittersweet and yet so powerful that she could still not determine if they were good memories or bad ones. Perhaps they were both. But where would she have been if she had not been taken by Kael's forces in order to heal their master? That answer was, for once, easy. Still in the wilds with only the beasts and the weather and earth for her companions; that was where she would be now, had she not been taken.

Did she regret meeting Illidan?

What a loaded question, she knew! What a hard question to answer! It was loaded in ways that made it difficult to determine where to start with it. But it made Shayl think now, made her question herself, made her wonder at the what-ifs, the might-have-beens, the suppose-this-or-that's and she looked at them all. What if she hadn't been taken? What if she hadn't been there? What if she hadn't run away as a child? What if she hadn't fallen in love with Illidan? What if, what if, what if. A person could drive themselves mad, questioning what had already taken place, obsessed with trying to change the past when that was impossible.

But, she knew that the answer to the question would always be the same. No. She didn't regret meeting Illidan. Nor did she regret falling in love with him. She had been changed by him. That much was obvious when she compared herself to how she had been before her capture by Kael and his forces and the strength she had begun to display afterwards. Illidan was the one who had changed her and that was what mattered.

The clean, misty smells of Terrokar Forest began to fade away as Ilthenaku flew over them, his wings slicing through the air and then, just as suddenly, the air seemed to change and it almost struck Shayl like a slap in the face. The air reeked of fel magic and there were distant rumbles of thunder in the air, though something that someone had told her once said the thunder was the impacts of Infernals upon the distant lands. This area was enveloped by the fel magics of the Burning Legion and she wondered how it had managed to change so much since the time she had last been here. The land below was in agony, twisting and burnt and the sky above was putrid and dark. Life existed here, but it was corrupt, twisted and foul.

Ilthenaku traveled onwards, his flight slow and unhurried as he moved through the air over the land, but he was busy watching the skies and ground for any threats that might come. But the miles melted swiftly beneath his wings and he flew onwards towards the Black Temple. He knew Outland fairly well, for he had been living here for some time and had learned the layout of each part of these broken lands well. He was surprised, however, to see his brethren in the air as he approached the temple, his milky white eyes looking for the patriarch of their kind, but he didn't see him. But as they finally closed in on the outside of the Black Temple, a shrill blast of sound stopped Ilthenaku in his spot, shaking his head in pain while Shayl cried out upon his back and then a mechanical voice with fel overtones to it rolled through the air.

"Do not proceed. You will be eliminated."

Though she could not see whatever it was that spoke, something about the words made Shayl shudder with an unwholesome fear. Whatever it was that had spoken, whatever it was that owned that terrible voice, it drove fear through her. The druid was not so foolish as to not show fear in situations that were unfamiliar to her, nor did she attempt to get into fights where it was unsure of whether or not she could survive. But in unknown, new situations, she did not appreciate being uninformed of whatever it was that was there. Again came the shrill blast and the harsh voice.

"Do not proceed. You will be eliminated."

Leaning forward, Shayl touched her hand to Ilthenaku's neck, speaking up now.

"Is there open ground beneath us to land upon? If so, back away from whatever it is that speaks and threatens us and rest upon the ground. I know this place. There are other ways into the Black Temple apart from the front doors."

_"Yes, mother."_

Once more there came the flapping of wings before Ilthenaku's feet came into firm contact with the ground in a jarring thump that rattled Shayl's teeth. The fel reaver that she could not see had turned away as the Netherdrake had back winged away from it before landing and the drake swept his head from side to side, keeping his eyes open for any potential threats and his tail swept from side to side behind himself as Shayl slipped from his back, recognizing the sense of a yawning wall and building before her and her heart constricted. She had never expected to come here again, but she had been lying to herself, she supposed, in saying that she never would return.

There was a tie between herself and Illidan that had been forged through heated emotions and time, a bond that had started to resurrect itself. Her hand lifted, touching to the healed over wound that had been left on her neck, a mark that he had touched often, with fingers and lips and tongue. The presence of this scar had seemed to please him and she had felt as if it were proper. Though it marked her as belonging to him, she had not minded one bit. It had been a mark that he had given her and that had pleased Shayl in an odd, primal way. Finally, however, she reached to her back and removed the staff that rested there and she set it upon the ground.

There was a way into the Temple. How? Where? It was a problem she had not expected. A problem that must be solved if she were to continue forwards and her senses slowly expanded away from her body, trying to find what barred her way, how she could get pass whatever it was that had spoken and Shayl nearly fainted as she had her first encounter with the Doomwalker. The malignant, cruel sense of the creature filled her mind and she gasped, wrenching herself away from the sensation of the creature's mind on her own, turning her thoughts now onto the building and she recognized the sensation of the Black Temple spreading out before her.

It was a small thing that caught her attention, a simple, little thing that had likely been overlooked, but something told her that it was not normal for the Temple to have fallen into disarray. It had been well-maintained now, but it seemed.. sloppy. Finally, her eyes opened, the golden glow that illuminated them spreading before her slightly before the druid finally turned to her drake and laid a warm hand onto his neck, smiling to him as she finally spoke up.

"Ilthenaku, I wish for you to remain out here. Do not be afraid to take flight and keep yourself from the ground. Hunt, rest, but keep yourself aware of my summons possibly. I do not know when I might call for you, but I might do so soon, or I may do so some time from now. There are.. issues that I must deal with within this place and I know that you might not wish to be kept ensnared to this area."

_"It will be as you wish, mother. I will listen for your call. Be safe, mother."_

For a moment, Shayl embraced Ilthenaku's snout, resting her forehead against his and he closed his eyes before she released him and stepped back and then her form began to shift. First, the woman's skin darkened, before the hairs on her arms and legs suddenly began to multiply and shimmer, spreading out more. The green of her hair shifted in shade, the strands splitting upon the entire length of the strand after seeming to melt into her skin, creating shorter fur that was purple in shade. Nose and mouth began to protrude outwards, the elongated eyeteeth of her upper jaw suddenly starting to stretch downwards past her chin, the pearly tusks curling backwards towards her chest. Muscles rippled along her body as her arms grew longer and Shayl settled easily upon all fours, hands and feet becoming large paws, her clothes helping to form her pelt of fur while her spine elongated out into a long tail. Whiskers quivered on either side of her muzzle and her ears twitched, but they remained long and tapering. Inhaling deeply had the slits of her nostrils flaring wide and the transformed druid stretched out her forelegs and yawned, exposing sharp white teeth before Shayl finally wrapped herself in shadows and she began to prowl slowly towards the nearby wall of the Temple to investigate it more fully.

She had been traveling along it for perhaps five minutes, ten at the most, when she had heard the change of airflow from outside to within and she knew that this was where she would make her entrance. Her head tilted for a moment before Shayl finally, suddenly, twisted and Shayl dropped the near-invisibility that had been adopted to get close to the walls and she leapt inside and she knew, despite everything, despite whatever reaction she might receive from Illidan, despite whatever it was that happened that this was how it had been meant to turn out.

It took a few moments for the blind druid to make her way from the outer walls to the inside of the Temple and when she emerged, there was a pitched battle going on. The shrill hissing of a naga siren and the growling snarls of some myrmidons caught her attention as metal slammed into metal, then a human's voice broke through the air, and she knew now that this was likely some adventurer seeking prestige by assaulting the Temple, though Shayl quickly revised her opinion when she heard that human's voice calling out to the Light. A paladin? Here? That alone was enough for her to stop short, curious and unsure of which side to take. Then she suddenly found herself under attack, a bolt of ice magic making her yowl and quickly divorce herself of the feline shape she held even as there was a spattering crunch of bone nearby and the wet, fleshy thuds of bodies hitting the ground, indicating that the human had won his battle.

But the shape that took form made more then one naga pause for that hair was distinctive, the mark on the throat well-known and the druidic raiment adorning the curvaceous body of the night elf pointing to who this was. Shayl set the butt of her staff down upon the ground, unsure for a moment of where she was until the stench of the sewers assaulted her nose and she knew that it was the sewers of the Temple. Then a soothing presence eased closer to her and she tilted her head to the side, glancing in the general direction of the paladin when one siren finally spoke up, her guttural, harsh voice echoing in a watery fashion.

"What are you doing back here, druid? I had thought that our lord and master had thrown you from this place several years ago."

A trial by fire, was it? A trial to see if she would flinch and Shayl knew that if she flinched, if she showed hesitation, weakness, any sort of faltering image now before the naga, they would tear her apart. The paladin was staring now, he knew, confused as to the words being directed towards a night elf, and a druidic one at that, by a naga when racial hatred should have had the two of them fighting already. But he said nothing, the man watching the elf from the corner of his eyes. Shayl's chin went up, her eyes narrowed and her tone of voice came out cold as the depths of the ocean that the naga had come from.

"_Your_ lord and master he might be, but Illidan has not held claim in that title with me ever. My choice to leave was mine, though subjected to influence from him, just as my return is chosen by myself and nothing from him. Is that clear? Now leave me be. I am here to see him, not to bandy words with you!"

Draconicus was stunned to see the naga pausing, stunned to see the foul naga exchanging glances at the words of this druid. A druid, giving words to a naga that made them stop and not attack? Just who was this druid? Once again, his dark eyes turned upwards to the night elf, looking at her in a suspicious manner. A night elf that knew Illidan, and by the sounds of it, she had not known the insane hybrid in just a platonic manner but in a truly intimate way. There was silence for the most part as the naga began to hiss amongst one another and then, a myrmidon, his draconic face twisting in a rather impatient manner, lunged for the paladin who reacted almost too slow, barely bringing his hammer up to parry the blow swept at him by the snake-like creature's sword.

"Stop it!" Shayl cried. "All of you, stop it!"

Her hands lifted, reaching into the air, feeling the naga reacting and then her own staff was brought forward as she felt a blow coming in her direction. Shayl was not a warrior, not in the sense of paladins and warriors themselves, but she would not stand for this. Another blow had her skidding backwards, nearly breaking her back as she felt the hard press of scales over harder muscle and iron-strong bone slammed against her body. Her eyebrows drew together, the druid feeling angry now. Once more, her form changed into that of a night saber, the transformation taking place much more swiftly then it had before and she charged into the nagas that were surrounding the nearby paladin with a roar that echoed throughout the halls of the Temple from the Sewers upwards, making some pause.

Elsewhere in the Temple, the presence of another druid didn't stir the lord and master of this place at first. He had felt druids enter the Temple before, but something about this surge of new magic seemed oh so familiar to him, intimately so. Then, from where his head had been resting in his hand, Illidan lifted it and he slowly stirred. For the first time in four years, the beast within had started to waken, making the madman wonder. No, it wouldn't be. It couldn't be. She had left. She had been driven out and she had gone and left him. His lips flexed over his teeth and Illidan paused when a new surge of magic had his nostrils flaring as he dragged in the scent of it. Hope began to blossom within him before it was suddenly crushed by his own anger. It was another trick, another illusion crafted by the succubi! Shayl was not here.

But the sensation of the magic in the depths of the Temple and he couldn't help but admit in a slow manner to himself that he wondered.. and hoped.

In the sewers, Shayl was busy tearing the throat out of a myrmidon that had tried to gut her, the druid's fangs sunk deeply into his neck. Many of the naga were fleeing for the druid was a whirlwind of claw and teeth and fury, her blindness seeming to be negligible at this moment in time. Sharp claws and strong teeth tore through skin and scale alike, and the paladin's hammer crushed heads and limbs, the pair of them making short work of the group of naga that had attacked and finally, the naga broke and fled from the two and Shayl waited until the last slithers and disturbances in the air were gone, but there was no more time for stealth. Changing back, her mouth opened when she felt the warmth of the Light washing over her, healing the damage that had been done to her by the claws and fangs of the other naga and while she was grateful..

"You should leave," Shayl said suddenly as she bent and picked up her staff from where it sat in the slowly flowing water of the sewer, wiping off the haft of it with a hand, flicking her hand and splattering algae across the already slimy walls before turning her attention back to the paladin. "This place is not a good place to be and believe me when I say that the naga will return and they will bring greater numbers with them, enough to overwhelm you."

"Who are you," demanded Draconicus, "to know how the naga in this place deal with threats?"

Silence met his question for several long moments and Shayl closed her eyes, those blind, useless eyes that had never served a purpose for her and then she shifted to lean on her staff. The paladin was astonished at the change in her, at the weary sag of her shoulders and the drooping of her spine, the way that this druid seemed to be held up only by the staff that her fingers were wrapped around tightly enough to the point of where the knuckles had grown almost white in shade. When she spoke, Shayl's voice was full of a deep sadness that resonated from the very depths of her soul.

"I am Shayl Hawkeye and I once was mistress of this place. Believe me when I say that it is better for you to leave when it is peaceful like this. I know they are gathering their numbers. I know they will swarm upon this location. You.. do not want to face those here upon your own. Leave. Leave now and don't come back, paladin. This place.. is not a place for you. If you want to live, if you want to survive, then leave!"

Her voice had risen as she'd spoken until Shayl was shouting at the human. Perhaps it was due to the fact that she was so serious that Draconicus found himself moving instinctively, trying to find a way out. And then the druid was moving past him, her form changing yet a third time to that of a massive feline and she was running past him, the heavy splash of water marking her passage as those wide paws of hers slammed down against the flowing sewage. But word had already spread and Shayl merely hoped that the paladin wasn't so foolish as to remain in this place when there was death approaching him.

The feline was moving faster now, her momentum carrying her through the Temple, racing up from the depths and breaking through the startled naga who immediately began to race after her, more then one siren hurling ice spells after the druid. But Shayl whispered to herself in her feline tongue and a burst of energy was granted to her, her legs pumping as she ran now, lunging forward as she ran towards her destiny for that was what she was doing now, wasn't it? Running to her destiny and the man that she.. No, no, there was no use in trying to remember those thoughts now, not at this time.

It was a sudden thing to find the ground leveling out beneath her feet and the form of the druid became bipedal once again. How many nights had she dreamed of doing this, of traveling through this trial by fire, only to be wrapped up in his arms again, told by him that he would never leave her again, spoken to in gentle tones and she would never be forced to leave. But her name was flitting from mouth to mouth as those that recognized her whispered her name until it was as if the wind were traveling through the leaves in the forests of Kalmidor once again and Shayl wondered when she would be noticed by him as she let her heart guide her feet, rather then relying upon her senses to guide her.

"Shayl.."

"It's her.."

"Does he know? Someone, go tell him..!"

How bold, how insane, was she to be in this place all by herself? The druid tightened her grip upon her staff once more and her lips worked once, twice, the corners pulling outwards and her mouth thinned while the druid moved through halls, the familiarity of the place open to her once again and she tilted her head back, walking steps along pathways that were known to her intimately. Here, she knew, was where her first steps on her own had been taken. She had blossomed in this place. Now.. Now it was almost as if she had never been gone.

Almost.

But the feel of the Temple had changed. Where Shayl had been able to tolerate it before, even having begun to heal the blood-soaked stones and halls with the aid of her shan'do and her own diligent patience, the halls now were oppressive, the air feeling thick and heavy. Fel magic was free-flowing between the walls, warlocks and mages constantly practicing their spells. Daemons had been brought forth here and as her mouth opened, sucking in a deep breath, Shayl nearly could taste the arcane on her tongue and it was not a pleasant taste to her. Darkness had seemed to settle into the shambles of the Temple after her departure and she was not so foolish as to think that it had been her presence that had left the place more welcoming and open before. Rather, the state of the Temple seemed, she dared to think, was a reflection upon the mental state of Illidan. The tread of armored feet spoke of the nearby guards as they approached and took up an escort about her but not a one said anything, Shayl noting there were.. there.. no, four separate footsteps. There, she sensed some staring at her but the druid continued to walk through the Temple, being pulled along by emotions.

None dared to stop the druid for none dared to risk Illidan's wrath; many that were power hungry here, but none so foolish as to throw their lives away. Eyes widened or narrowed in the faces of those that remembered her and the whispers of her return were spreading like wildfire. Memories walked with Shayl, memories of before, when she had been happy in this place. The low thump of her staff across the stone flooring of the Temple sounded loudly in her ears and then, as she came to a new area, all the hairs upon the back of her neck stood on end and Shayl knew.. she knew he was here. Her mouth and throat were dry as dust and she swallowed hard, once, twice, chapped lips peeling apart as she came to a slow halt, mouth working and throat flexing before, finally, her voice was lifted in sound.

"Illidan.."

Said hybrid was frozen on the throne, the voice that he had longed to hear washing across his mind like rain upon the parched desert of Tanaris, so to speak. His mouth came open slowly and he stared, the flaring of bright gold behind his blindcloth giving the facsimile of widening eyes. It could not be. She would not return to him. She _would not. _It was a trick. It was just another trick by those damnable succubi, though they had done a good job this time with the appearance of Shayl.

"I will have the harem mother's head for this!" Illidan snarled suddenly before he sprang from his throne towards Shayl, slamming her backwards and onto the ground as his fingers wrapped about her throat. "She has crossed the line and this will end, now!"

Shayl gasped as she hit the ground, skull bouncing almost painfully off of the stones and her helm went clattering away, skidding off to the side and she tried to breathe but it was hard when there was a hand about one's throat cutting the air off. Within Illidan, the daemon had awoken fully, howling with joy at the smell, the touch of that smooth skin and Illidan's fangs were bared, poised to rip out this imposter's throat as he bent over her. Beneath him, Shayl's hands fluttered upwards, fingers touching to his chest lightly before falling away as she gasped for air that seemed to refuse to come, when she felt Illidan's breath washing over her ear and neck.

"Yesssss.." hissed the hybrid furiously. "This will be the last of it."

His mouth opening, Illidan's head jerked downwards before he suddenly stopped, staring.. No. No, it wasn't her. It wasn't, it wasn't! She had left, she had gone, leaving him to his miserable fate when she had departed four years ago but he had won against Arthas so this couldn't be her it was impossible it just couldn't be her because if it were Shayl then why was she here and then what had become of Arthas that man that he had defeated for that was what he had done wasn't it yes it was he had defeated Arthas but if he had then _why was Shayl here now?!_

"Illi.. dan.."

The name came out broken, tattered and ragged on the escaping air from Shayl's throat and she felt a languorous sense of peace as her head began to stop swimming and then, suddenly, the pressure on her throat was gone and the druid's blind eyes shot open wide as she gasped and coughed, sucking in lungfuls of air as she rolled over, coughing harder and touching her fingers to her throat where the flesh was already bruising. The guards had made no move, unsure of what to say or do in this situation before one finally stepped towards Shayl, only to jump back when Illidan suddenly snarled at him.

".. Shayl..?"

His voice was pitched low, tremulous and amazed and the druid's head came up at the sound of her voice on his lips. And then, she was in his arms again, crying, laughing and he was kissing her and there were no more words at this moment. She was back in his arms, they both knew, and perhaps, perhaps he would never let her go, never again.

* * *

No, the story's not over, not by a long shot. PHEW. I crammed this entire chapter into a file over the course of two-three days. The new dose of troubles are only starting for Shayl and Illidan; after all.. I just can't make life easy for them. ;D Otherwise, I'd be out of a story.

Now then, review people! Review! More reviews makes me more inclined to write and leaves me a happy author! Seriously. =P


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